Thanks for the shout Scott! Haven't seen that little Makita before, would have loved that back when I was house-bashing! The Domino has basically been a free tool for me; paid £450 for one in ~2007, would be astonished if I couldn't get that today. Buy one, use it for a few years and sell it again, you'll get back 90-odd% of what you paid unless you use it as an anchor. Best wishes from London! Peter
Only reason I could ever justify the Domino, a Conturo or the MFK edge banding router - virtually no depreciation several years down the line, but saves heaps of time
This is the appropriate time to say being from the East coast of Australia, it is a Saturday morning ritual to watch both Scott Brown and Peter Millard. The weekends aren't complete without it
American carpenter here. The dual bevel feature is why I keep both a 6.5" and a 7.25" cordless saw on my truck. But that flush cut option is quite slick!
I purchased the Makita 125mm saw November of 2023, shipped from Japan to US. I love this saw, my also most used circular saw. I purchased it by creating an Amazon Japan account. Combining multiple items, like extra blades, bit, Makita cordless driver and drill, etc., I was able to reduce the shipping cost. This way I got more for my money. I was so impressed by this saw, last week I purchased the 165mm one. Again through Amazon Japan and combined with other products and of course two extra blades. Selling my Dewalt cordless 7-1/4 saw and blades. Will never go back. Thanks for the great vids.
I swapped to Makita, got two different Japanese made impact drivers and most of my other cordless. In Australia they are a bit cheaper than the other brands and have a large selection. 18v though, I'll have to look up what cells the 40v use?
I use the 165 mm one too (in EU it's called DHS 660). This is a great saw, even compared to Mafell saws which are like a worldwide benchmark for circular saws.
@@afterthought3341the 40 V uses 2170s from 4 Ah on, the small 2,5 Ah pack however still uses 18650s. Meanwhile there are also high power XGT packs with tabless 2170 cells for high power output like in chainsaws. LXT still uses 18650s in all packs
My grandpa restored a Stanley No 4 plane for me. Beyond sentimental value that tool changed my intimacy with wood as a material. Hand tool work rewires your brain. Makes the experience more tactile. I have a plethora of machines as well though!
As a cabinet maker, the Lamello Zeta has changed the way I work. The fittings are eye wateringly expensive, but this is just costed into the job, and the amount of time it saves when assembling wardrobes etc on site is worth every penny.
3d printing has changed how I work in the shop. Apart from dust collection adapters and organization bits being able to print a jig or alignment tool or shape for a router flush cut in a few hours so I'm ready to rock in the morning has helped. I did not dive into it until printers like Bambu Labs stuff made it straightforward to print and not have to mess with 3d printing as a hobby itself.
Yes. I'm considering 3D printing as a tool for workshop for aching things as you have mentioned plus shop organisation systems. Is ashame Bambu Labs don't ship direct to NZ. Probably the one I would get.
@@thetechnician832 Do it. I've been really happy with my P1P (now upgraded to a P1S). Being able to create router jigs exactly as I need them has come in really handy and saved a fair bit of money (compared to purchasing them).
That's good to know that they're useful. I don't have room for a 3D printer, but I've long considered making jigs. I'm a design engineer, so spend all day 3D modelling things anyway. Knocking up some jigs would be very easy.
@@DamienMcGuinnessKiwi yeah I have an a1 mini but am already regretting the reduced bed space. P1P/s might be in my future. Maybe even an X1C but I haven't really tried filaments other than PLA and PETG yet.
Many years ago, I was quite inexperienced in wood working. I then bought my first multitool from Bosch. It was quite expensive and didn't see me using it for more than some special use cases. I was soo wrong! I have been using it for so many projects during the years! It is such a fabulous tool and I cannot simply be without it!
It's slow, lacks smooth accuracy and attachments are pricey/short life cycle compared to many other tools. But it's hard to replace for some particular situations. Until you find tools like that tiny Makita saw, which solves probably half (as in working hours) of the use cases in 1/10 of the time. Multitool has unavoidable design flaw. It has to fight the dust it creates. That increases wear, adds heat, slows your job. Did I say it's slow already? But if it works for your use case, great! 👍
Well done! First time I've seen someone actually address that wall to floor problem ,which(I'm embarrassed to say)I've been living with here for some years- you've got a neat solution there.
My mom saw an advertorial on late night TV for a multitool called the "Renovator", thought of her son starting out and bought it for me. My first look, "what is this junk?" it did 12 months shelf sitting till a casement insitu trim had me, "ok, lets see how far this renovator junk gets." Haven't looked back, that thing is over 25 years old and gets used regularly, absolute game changer.
Man I have not seen you for ages. I feel like this is a reunion.! And look how far you have come.! I'm happy for you Scott. I watched you when you had a storage bay for your first shop.
Hi Scott, I had the same problem as you but I use a tape measure (Festool 5m) that also has a measurement indication on the bottom. This way, the convex part of the tape measure is not on your workpiece but the concave part. It doesn't get any closer than this. Highly recommended! I am Dutch (stroopwafel) I have seen all your videos and I think it's great how you take everyone along in your daily work and in a way that it is fun to watch and everyone can learn to become better and that making mistakes is certainly part of it but it's all about how you overcome them! You never stop learning. Keep making these fantastic videos! 🛠️💪🏻
Thanks Scott. I've bought the HS006G because of your recommendation and the review of Tools & Stuff. I've never regret buying it, absolutely love this saw. Shews through 40mm+ hard wood easily. Gets used way more often than my HS004G. The 125mm blades make nice little wood chips and no fine dust which is a big plus for me.
Every tool I’ve bought has changed the way I work! Some of the most noteworthy ones that have changed my workflow the most would be: Dewalt portable table saw. Makita 36v track saw. Makita 18v laminate trimmer. Milwaukee 12v riveter. Stanley laser distance measurer. Bosch 12v line laser. These 6 tools have broadened the horizons of what I can do on site and increased my production speeds exponentially. Strictly speaking, none of them are really essential to getting most jobs done but all of them have made my life so much easier and my workflow so much smoother that they have definitely cemented themselves as some of my favourite pieces of equipment that are always on site with me, every day.
The 12V riveter is awesome if your day involves pulling lots of rivets like mine did a couple of years ago. I also got a Milwaukee metal saw (smaller, slower) & an Ozito track saw, then made an adapter to get the Milwaukee onto the Ozito's foot. This gave me a metal cutting track saw which was fantastic for cutting SIPs accurately.
@@RaglansElectricBaboon that’s a good idea. I don’t cut a great deal of steel so I just purchased a couple of Diablo steel demon blades and run them in my regular circular saws to cut the occasional bits of steel. But the steel cutting track saw is clever, I’d never thought of that.
Just an old guy homeowner here but the 12 volt Bosh Blue reciprocating saw (Mini sawzall) is surprisingly my most used power tool. Those mini chainsaws I’ve seen advertised lately would handle slightly bigger tree branches, but the little Bosch cuts up wooden rubbish, prunes the roses, prunes small trees and with a metal cutting blade is a power hacksaw. Its special feature is that it is really lightweight and can be used one handed comfortably.
My first decent hand saw. Game changer. I hating using my hand tools until I purchased decent quality hand tools. The difference in accuracy was an enjoyable realization. Now, I'm love any excuse to take out my pull saw and chisels. Many instances its faster than setting up my jigs and power tools! Cheers!
The Toyota hiace changed the way I work. Well actually, it changed my work. It enabled me to start contracting as a wardrobe installer. Only the hiace and some other more less common vans are long enough to take the 2700 high robe doors.
I wonder who told you about that Makita saw 😉 And they don't sell it in NZ because the guard doesn't pass our regulations, but there is a fix on the way... The blades are quite cheap and easy to get on Amazon Japan.
My first Japanese pull saw was a great gateway into the world of hand tools. I reach for it quite frequently when I want to make a quick cut but don't want the noise or mess of a circular saw or miter
I get why Japanese pull saws are popular today. That doesn't mean I agree with it though. That's because I own decent western saws. Which are not so easy to come by these days. Saws that were just punched out on tooth machines and never properly sharpened have given western saws a bad rap. Cheap plastic handles. I get it! But it doesn't have to be that way.
@@Kaodusanya I find pull saws uncomfortable for me to use. I do not have a balance problem with a decent western style saw. But good western saws can be expensive. That high price and limited availability are big downsides to traditional western saws. Pull saws have an advantage there.
For decades my Makita 5005BA corded 5 1/2" saw was my go to. This looks like an awesome cordless descendent with one-of-a-kind features aimed specifically for remodelers like myself. Thank you for posting! Never seen anyathing like it.
Our Men's Shed group needed to upgrade its larger bandsaw that was old, clunky and unsafe to use. We settled on a very similar Laguna 1412 which is everything the old one wasn't and more. Most impressive, it's our go-to machine for most ripping jobs in preference to our SawStop Professional cabinet saw.
I’ve had a few surprises doing electrical work. Making holes in metal today? A spring loaded center punch. Mine is always being borrowed. Simple “box cutter” knife. I use mine so often it’s worth it for me to carry the nicest one I can find. No more folders or break-points! Penlight with the :light: part on the side. Floods immediate area with light, rather than giving you a tiny spot. Power tools? Once I got my first 1/4-hex drive impact driver, my drill got abandoned. 1/2 length shopping cart. No joke. Great wheels, lets me keep hardware/ supplies at hand, collect trash, and eases set-ups as I move about the site. Two small, shallow baskets rather than a single deep one. I made a clip-on “tool belt” to hang on the rail of a lift. Has pockets or bins for small parts. A hand truck - with good tires - for moving my stuff around. Even customized it to carry specific items (broom?) and double as a wire dispenser.
Been thinking about buying a circular saw for a while, this is the advice and motivation I needed. Also living in Japan helps, just got the 18V 125mm saw
I bought a couple of clear acrylic Omnigrip quilting rulers with the vague idea that I was going to get into quilting. Instead, I use them constantly for woodworking because they make it so easy to square up (and triangle up?) my measurements. They are designed to be used with a rotary fabric cutter, and it turns out that this makes it easy to run a box cutter blade down the edge of the rulers to get extremely thin and precise marking lines for fine joinery.
Hi Scott, I'm a french carpenter based in Australia (and has worked in NZ too!) Where I'm from every single joiner and chippy carry a 2m so called german ruller and a 25x300mm steel ruller. 10 years after settling down under I still can't understand how tradies makes it through life using that old english design 1m fold out ruller... always too short, too thick... I've managed to convice a few people down here to use a 25x300mm steel ruller and they all confest these are great. The brand Shinwa is definately very easy to read the measurements from. Greatings from Tassie!
#5 1/2 bench plane changed the way I work. It enabled me to get better fit and finish with much less error than sanding. I'm still working through the learning curve but it's been a game changer already.
I love the idea of that little circular saw. For those who are nervous of using a large, noisy circular saw, it is something they CAN work with. You need to feel in control of that saw and not the saw controlling you!!!
TIP: for accurate measurement between facing surfaces: Butt ruler against one end, butt tape measure out to the other and overlap tape measure and ruler to the 100mm on the ruler. What you read on the tape measure length can be accurate to a 1/4mm and you add 100mm. Super accurate and you're not bending the tape measure into the corner and estimating the final curve section.
There's 125mm blades designed to cut wood and metal (nails through wood) made by Dart which is available in NZ, they call it their MetalSonic Blade. It has a 22.2mm bore size which is likely not what the Makita uses, but you can get bushes for them to reduce down to suit the arbor.
Bought a Makita DCS553 Metal cutting circular saw when it was on sale. Cutting sheet metal or scoring the line for bending is a pleasure compared to a grinder. Smooth straight cut and cold to touch. Last year bought myself an XGT HP001 drill, but it wasnt the tool I use the most, but the blower AS001. Clean the PC, remove dust from items or dry up things.
As a DIYer.. the table saw (got a great deal on a dewalt job site one) is one of those things that now I have it, it's indispensable. Being able to quicky rip lengths of timber down to the sizes I need.. not just what's in stock at the merchant is great.. and saves me money.
The Festool CSC SYS 50 table saw is the tool that changed the way I work. It’s a marvel of engineering and an absolutely magnificent tool. I’m a joiner and furniture maker and wouldn’t be without it now.
I have the same Laguna saw and I use it more than my table saw. I have used it for fine work and with the 1" blade fitted I can rip down hardwood railway sleepers. Truely a universal tool. Worth every cent.
I’m just a hobbyist but I have an OK range of tools from dropsaw, table saw, biscuiter, routers etc but the game changer was the Makita tracksaw. Its sooooo handy and productive.
Beautiful, this kind of obscure list is something i really enjoy, we all have seen people praise their favourite electric drill by now but these were really interesting
Great list Scott. Very eclectic & personal. As a builder of custom workbenches, my list includes: Paolini Pocket Rule (similar use to your small ruler); track saw; and a story stick kit (also from Woodpeckers). I know that you can make a story stick from scrap, but having measurement graduation lines built into the tool is what makes this factory made story stick a game changer for my work.
My indispensable tool is my black and decker gyro screwdriver. Fits neatly in the palm of the hand and with small movements of the wrist can control the speed and direction. No need to mess with switches in the middle of working. It does sometimes not have the grunt required but does 80% of required screwdriving well. Provides good speed control when putting in screws near the end when more powerful devices can damage the screw head.
From the UK. I totally agree with you about the circular saw. Here I have a very old Black and Decker small circular saw which I bought a 115 mm blade for. To make it more useful I cut off the base plate on the narrow side and welded it back on after making it as narrow as possible for use on flooring.Works great but can't do the 15 degrees. Also I bought an angle grinder circular saw attachment and 125 mm 22.3 mm centre ripsaw blade which are now available. I have not used this yet but I think this could be used left handed if you turn the blade round as well as the grinder but the Chinese attachment is not great so I may try to improve it.
I have three of those little rules, incredibly handy as is the 150mm crow bar that Gaston sells. You would not believe how handy that is. Also love my CNC. That was the biggest game changer ever!
Absolutely agree about the bandsaw, I had a tiny one that I bought in an auction which was very poor. however I could see how useful it could have been if it wasn't junk. I bought a Kity 613 from eBay and it went from a bit of an indulgence to one of the most used machines in my shop. The fact that it will cut square makes it invaluable for so many jobs.
Scott band saw would step up any game in home workshop and like you easily put it also cut your finger off, lol. I'm not a pro builder more like DIY kind of dude, but a tool that helped me build some kitchen cabinets was a makita corded track saw brings the table saw to the plywood. Thanks for Sharing Scott hope to see some build from you new band saw.
when i finally got a tracksaw it made things a lot more professional. i used a bandsaw extensively when i was doing woodsculpture in college they really give you a lot of freedom that you can't get with other tools. you can easily carve a human arm out of a beam, etc. safely, with only a big bandsaw.
When I was a carpenter in Carmel, California, I switched to a 6" Porter Cable SawBoss. Light, fast, and safe. Changed the entire crew, and far fewer kickback accidents from 7-1/4" worm drive.
As a builder in the US, one of the tools that changed my framing game was the 7-1/4” rear-handle circular saw. Specifically, I went with the Makita LXT x2 version which allows a shorter guy like me to more accurately cut down sheet goods in rough carpentry by extending my reach. Additionally, the track saw upped my game for super accurately breaking down sheet goods, trimming doors and cabinetry panels while minimizing splintering and tear out.
Dumbhead shaving horse. About 3'6" (106cm). I've tricked it out with cam hold-downs and a few other clamping options. I use it every day. As a saw horse, a carving bench, for filing knife blanks, for sharpening, for finicky fitting. And I made it from 2-by scraps. I eventually made another 14 for classes I teach.
A 150mm steel rule, one in my pocket, one in my nailbag, a dozen spares. The other game changer tool is my Bosch laser measure. It's milimeter accurate, measures internals in a second. Makes fitting doors and trim super fast and accurate.
Totally agree on the bandsaw. I am/was a NZ butcher by trade (HB Co-op) and we used bandsaws all the time. Meat saws are a bit different, but not that much, more hygiene ease of clean ect. I have a 17" grizzly and it's a beast. I looked at this Laguna here in the States and it was a close call. The Laguna I think is better, slightly, but the Grizzly has more size and grunt. I wanted it for re-sawing, like Scott is doing here, for guitar tops and the height and width of the 17 was critical. I had a chunk of swamp kauri and re-sawed for 3 decent guitar tops one pass, no joints. My dad was a carpenter in NZ and he had an old but solid 14" that worked well. If you have the room, they are very useful. If you're doing joinery and woodwork look at adding a drum sander. Jet do an open end 16" drum so you can flip the work around and run it through allowing potentially 32", for guitar making, cabinet doors ect or sizing stuff like figured maple that thicknessers tend to mangle, it's been excellent.
I have been using the Milwaukee metal circular saw as my main circular saw. I just swapped out the metal saw disc and got a spurious circular saw disc and it’s very handy.
1) Laser Level 2)Track Saw 3) Cordless Nailers I clearly remember working without these and the first job i did with each of these tools, it just boosted the speed and efficiency of my work
I like that ruler, i got it in my shop for years now! the tool, that changed my work was my first (used) festool table saw! greetings from germany, rené
One of the tools that has surprised me a lot with how much I use it is the Bosch GKF 12v edge router. A small, nifty comfortable router with a wide base. Just makes rounding/chamfering edges soooo easy to do.
I have a small Skill saw. I bought it because I didn't have much money and just moved to Germany. I use it a lot because of its size. I would say my 80 euro drill press is the most used tool in my shop. Tools are what you have in materials. My NZ workshop has vastly different tools to my German. I have three impact drills in Germany, only one in NZ. Far more concrete and stone tools. Torx bits left, right and center. Long ones, short ones. Good ones, cheap ones. Rusty ones, clean ones.
Bought an evolution chopsaw for cutting steel. Sped me up and majorly improved the accuracy of my work, compared to when I was doing the majority of my cutting with a 230 mm angle grinder. Mag drill was another one of those tools that really changed how I worked, too. A mig welder is the next tool that I'm considering, but power will be the issue there. Keep up the good work, loving the videos here in Ireland.
Funny, for me it was the little Makita DHS680. I just wanted to use it to cut up pallets. Now I use the saw on everything. It is so handy and precise, a dream. I actually have several of the Shinwa rulers to. Very usefull. My number two is my Milwaukee 12V cordless screwdriver with the different chucks. It's really fun to work with it. But I love my Makita multitool DTM52 the most. It was like a revelation when I used it for the first time. Greetings from Germany, I really like your channel.
The Harbor Freight Bauer line has a cordless little circular saw like that! I was not expecting it to be so useful but like you found out, it's small but capable, and runs a good couple hours on that battery too! In the field it's really nice to be at a random location and be able to make all the small cuts you need right where you're working.
From reading some of the comments, it looks like getting that Makita HS005GZ in the US will not be as easy as with my usual (Milwaukee, etc.) I'm not a good carpenter/woodworker (ok, I'm a shite woodworker/carpenter), but now that I'm 'retired' and not working 60+ hrs. as a software engineer, I'm getting more serious about it. I have worked on quite a number of old homes here in Chicago. That dual bevel feature would have been very useful (I usually get brought in to do electrical and plumbing work and end up being a helper for my friends who are excellent carpenters). I've been holding off on a cordless circular saw, but I am about to start ripping out the kitchen of my 1914-built home (horrible 60s remodel), and that saw looks perfect for what I need to do. Anyway, I love the channel. Thanks for posting.
The festool domino is amazing, I make all my own doors now with ease! I was cutting a floor out last week thinking there has to be a better way to get close to the wall. I’m going to try find one of these now! Cheers Scott
As a property guardian wanting to make the most of high ceilings I built a high bedframe for an Ikea slat base using chunky timber and coach bolts. Once I'd gone back to living in normal houses, the Kreg R3 pocket hole jig kit let me start building plywood furniture, including workshop storage units for bike parts and tools, and for working-from-home, an 8 foot long desk on top of two drawer units big enough to hold 600 x 400 boxes.
I know a carpenter who used to use a circ saw like that, years ago. It was corded, prob same blade size, it was light green, quite powerful. The smallest tool that can do the job is almost always a good idea, less weight, less torque, less fatigue and safer
As a machinist I recommend carrying one of the steel rules that you showed, but also a double-hook rule. Basically a T-square in miniature form. You can hook over edges that are hard to see, and you can use it as a square to mark out cross-lines. When I was machining full time, I carried a thin flexible rule, thicker engineer's rule, and hook rule at all times, and it saved me time all over the place.
Hey Scott, long time watcher first time commenter. The short shot of your boots in this vid inspired this comment. Leather and timber are such great natural products, and i can see you guys appreciate the balance of quality and value, so I just wanted to recommend Thursday boots and send you down the youtube rabbit hole of boot reviews etc (Roseanvil if tou havnt got on that yet). No loaded stuff here, just a great product I think you'd like. Keep up the great content.
that saw is cool, if you can't get non makita blades for it in NZ you probably need to bulk import a load of those blades and keep a stash, pay the import / shipping fee once. very impressed by the cut next to wall soooooo many times i could have used that, looks a really good saw for electricians and plumbers too.
I use Shinwa measuring tools every single day. One thing you didn't mention is how accurate they are. The tape measures and the long steel rules ...basically anything i have purchased from them...are all absolutely spot on.
Thanks Scott, those little metal rulers are fantastic. I am always using my little Toledo steel ruler. Not so much trouble picking it up, more putting it down and not being able to find it!
seeing you use the small makita encouraged me to purchase one as well (I live in the states) and it is also my most used saw it’s absolutely worth the extra shipping costs!!
The tool that most defines my style of cabinetmaking is my Bosch 125mm random orbital sander with 40 grit sandpaper and Festool dust extractor vacuum. I can sand all day without needing a respirator and everything I usually make is very well rounded-off but much more "organic" than a router does it. After I've built and rounded a piece of furniture with 40 grit, I go down through the grits - usually to about 180. Depending on what I'm making and what wood I'm using, I have gone as low as 2000 grit - but 40 grit does all the serious work.
Great information. I committed to never use a table saw because of the risk. The bandsaw makes sense. The small circular saw is the little engine that could.
14" BandSaw. Lots of use. I buy or get given lots of rough cut boards and it makes easy work to break them down to what I want. I've had the Domino for seven years, and boy does it speed up joinery. You will find yourself reaching for it all the time.
Not a wood worker but a mechanic here, brought one of those tiny pocket pry bars as a novelty thing from the tool van but I now use it every day, from opening boxes to wedging things apart it gets the most use out of any of my everyday carry tools 😂
A 300mm Rabone steel rule has usually been in my work pants since I started timberframing in 2005. A folding rule has been there since I started working with German and Swiss framers in 2009. To be fair, a tape is the thinnest of all the measuring tools you mentioned and you can press the edge tighter to the surface of your lumber or whatever than either of the others. Still, the others have their time and place and a carpenter who does varied work should have all 3. Every tool I've bought has changed the way I work - I started DIY with a handsaw so my first circular saw was a game changer. Multi-tool and tracksaw are more recent additions that have turned otherwise horrible or very tricky jobs into easy ones. Just bought my first rear-handled saw - interesting to see how that chnages things.
My favourite small rule is the Starrett C635, all-metric graduations, satin chrome. It is exactly 150mm long so both ends are reference edges - and the way they have the scales, there is always one reading the way you want. I used to have a typical metric/imperial one but only one end is usable as zero. Twice as much ruler-flipping, much more ruler-dropping. The Starrett is always in my tool belt and I reach for it all the time. Buy them now before the new owners of that old firm play havoc with the quality....
Hi Scott, the Festool domino is a necessity indeed! When you're doing a lot of fine woodworking (or even making countertops) its an amazing tool that works really fast. no more need for large router tables for those mortise and tenon joints, even with the lounge benches you made for the store it would have been very handy! saves you a couple hours of work ;)
The 10 1/4 inch 40v Makita beam saw changed the way I frame. Being able to cut full 4x4s and 6x6s in 3 cuts without a sawzall is very handy. Also cutting studs 2 at a time using a stop block and marking the 3rd with the blade. Repeat. I can cut up 100 studs in no time with only 1 measurement (and a couple checks to make sure I haven't wandered).
Thanks for the shout Scott! Haven't seen that little Makita before, would have loved that back when I was house-bashing! The Domino has basically been a free tool for me; paid £450 for one in ~2007, would be astonished if I couldn't get that today. Buy one, use it for a few years and sell it again, you'll get back 90-odd% of what you paid unless you use it as an anchor. Best wishes from London! Peter
My two fave woodworking ( plus Keith) channels
Only reason I could ever justify the Domino, a Conturo or the MFK edge banding router - virtually no depreciation several years down the line, but saves heaps of time
This is the appropriate time to say being from the East coast of Australia, it is a Saturday morning ritual to watch both Scott Brown and Peter Millard. The weekends aren't complete without it
My two go to channels on a Friday, learned so much from both of you since lockdown.
@@whatdaf11 Same here.
Waiting for Scott to admit (or Jess to figure out) the planned Japan trip is so he can buy some more blades for that wee saw 😂
🤣🤣🤪
And perfectly good ones made in Japan are only $8 from hardware stores.
Plus a bunch of chisels and and........🙂
no need for an excuse to visit japan - the place is amazing !!! SUGOI ... KANPAI !!!!
@danielmacdougall2697 Nah, pillow is better 😴
The track saw was a game changer for me.
Me too. Best beginner buy.
Yep. Same here.
Same for me.
Same here best thing I bought and now just upgraded to a cordless one 😊
Built a kitchen using my Makita - mint piece of gear.
American carpenter here.
The dual bevel feature is why I keep both a 6.5" and a 7.25" cordless saw on my truck.
But that flush cut option is quite slick!
I purchased the Makita 125mm saw November of 2023, shipped from Japan to US. I love this saw, my also most used circular saw. I purchased it by creating an Amazon Japan account. Combining multiple items, like extra blades, bit, Makita cordless driver and drill, etc., I was able to reduce the shipping cost. This way I got more for my money.
I was so impressed by this saw, last week I purchased the 165mm one. Again through Amazon Japan and combined with other products and of course two extra blades. Selling my Dewalt cordless 7-1/4 saw and blades. Will never go back. Thanks for the great vids.
I swapped to Makita, got two different Japanese made impact drivers and most of my other cordless. In Australia they are a bit cheaper than the other brands and have a large selection. 18v though, I'll have to look up what cells the 40v use?
I use the 165 mm one too (in EU it's called DHS 660). This is a great saw, even compared to Mafell saws which are like a worldwide benchmark for circular saws.
@@afterthought3341the 40 V uses 2170s from 4 Ah on, the small 2,5 Ah pack however still uses 18650s.
Meanwhile there are also high power XGT packs with tabless 2170 cells for high power output like in chainsaws.
LXT still uses 18650s in all packs
My grandpa restored a Stanley No 4 plane for me. Beyond sentimental value that tool changed my intimacy with wood as a material. Hand tool work rewires your brain. Makes the experience more tactile.
I have a plethora of machines as well though!
Somewhat with you on this one. I'm 99% power tools... But nothing matches the precision of a hand planer.
As a cabinet maker, the Lamello Zeta has changed the way I work. The fittings are eye wateringly expensive, but this is just costed into the job, and the amount of time it saves when assembling wardrobes etc on site is worth every penny.
Those mini circular saws (and chain saws) are like the bread and butter of workers here in Japan. It is so compact and handy when doing any cut.
3d printing has changed how I work in the shop. Apart from dust collection adapters and organization bits being able to print a jig or alignment tool or shape for a router flush cut in a few hours so I'm ready to rock in the morning has helped.
I did not dive into it until printers like Bambu Labs stuff made it straightforward to print and not have to mess with 3d printing as a hobby itself.
Collecting dust is a strange hobby. How do you display your collection?
Yes. I'm considering 3D printing as a tool for workshop for aching things as you have mentioned plus shop organisation systems. Is ashame Bambu Labs don't ship direct to NZ. Probably the one I would get.
@@thetechnician832 Do it. I've been really happy with my P1P (now upgraded to a P1S). Being able to create router jigs exactly as I need them has come in really handy and saved a fair bit of money (compared to purchasing them).
That's good to know that they're useful. I don't have room for a 3D printer, but I've long considered making jigs. I'm a design engineer, so spend all day 3D modelling things anyway. Knocking up some jigs would be very easy.
@@DamienMcGuinnessKiwi yeah I have an a1 mini but am already regretting the reduced bed space. P1P/s might be in my future. Maybe even an X1C but I haven't really tried filaments other than PLA and PETG yet.
Many years ago, I was quite inexperienced in wood working. I then bought my first multitool from Bosch. It was quite expensive and didn't see me using it for more than some special use cases. I was soo wrong! I have been using it for so many projects during the years! It is such a fabulous tool and I cannot simply be without it!
It's slow, lacks smooth accuracy and attachments are pricey/short life cycle compared to many other tools. But it's hard to replace for some particular situations. Until you find tools like that tiny Makita saw, which solves probably half (as in working hours) of the use cases in 1/10 of the time.
Multitool has unavoidable design flaw. It has to fight the dust it creates. That increases wear, adds heat, slows your job. Did I say it's slow already?
But if it works for your use case, great! 👍
That Makita saw is amazing. I’m getting one! I will use that a lot on the job. That is a good band saw!
Well done! First time I've seen someone actually address that wall to floor problem ,which(I'm embarrassed to say)I've been living with here for some years- you've got a neat solution there.
My mom saw an advertorial on late night TV for a multitool called the "Renovator", thought of her son starting out and bought it for me. My first look, "what is this junk?" it did 12 months shelf sitting till a casement insitu trim had me, "ok, lets see how far this renovator junk gets." Haven't looked back, that thing is over 25 years old and gets used regularly, absolute game changer.
If you don't close out the week with Scott's awesome smile, did you really close out the week?
Awesome videos Scott, we enjoy them so much.
I suspect someone at Makita is busy packing up a selection of 125mm saw blades right now.
I don’t think Makita Japan are watching Scott’s channel.
@@DiscoFang Gotta be someone here to make that connection!
@@DiscoFang You'd be surprised....
@@1978sjtI would be less surprised if Makita NZ sold any tool at all in NZ that used a 125mm saw blade.
For a channel with not even 0,5 million subs ... yeah right.
Man I have not seen you for ages. I feel like this is a reunion.! And look how far you have come.! I'm happy for you Scott. I watched you when you had a storage bay for your first shop.
Hi Scott, I had the same problem as you but I use a tape measure (Festool 5m) that also has a measurement indication on the bottom. This way, the convex part of the tape measure is not on your workpiece but the concave part. It doesn't get any closer than this. Highly recommended!
I am Dutch (stroopwafel) I have seen all your videos and I think it's great how you take everyone along in your daily work and in a way that it is fun to watch and everyone can learn to become better and that making mistakes is certainly part of it but it's all about how you overcome them! You never stop learning. Keep making these fantastic videos! 🛠️💪🏻
Thanks Scott. I've bought the HS006G because of your recommendation and the review of Tools & Stuff. I've never regret buying it, absolutely love this saw. Shews through 40mm+ hard wood easily. Gets used way more often than my HS004G. The 125mm blades make nice little wood chips and no fine dust which is a big plus for me.
Hey crown where did you buy the saw from? Would be dynamite to have in the toolbox !
Every tool I’ve bought has changed the way I work!
Some of the most noteworthy ones that have changed my workflow the most would be:
Dewalt portable table saw.
Makita 36v track saw.
Makita 18v laminate trimmer.
Milwaukee 12v riveter.
Stanley laser distance measurer.
Bosch 12v line laser.
These 6 tools have broadened the horizons of what I can do on site and increased my production speeds exponentially.
Strictly speaking, none of them are really essential to getting most jobs done but all of them have made my life so much easier and my workflow so much smoother that they have definitely cemented themselves as some of my favourite pieces of equipment that are always on site with me, every day.
The 12V riveter is awesome if your day involves pulling lots of rivets like mine did a couple of years ago.
I also got a Milwaukee metal saw (smaller, slower) & an Ozito track saw, then made an adapter to get the Milwaukee onto the Ozito's foot. This gave me a metal cutting track saw which was fantastic for cutting SIPs accurately.
@@RaglansElectricBaboon that’s a good idea. I don’t cut a great deal of steel so I just purchased a couple of Diablo steel demon blades and run them in my regular circular saws to cut the occasional bits of steel. But the steel cutting track saw is clever, I’d never thought of that.
I don't cut much plate steel, but when I do, it's with my Milwaukee metal cutting circular saw. That was a game changer for me.
Just an old guy homeowner here but the 12 volt Bosh Blue reciprocating saw (Mini sawzall) is surprisingly my most used power tool. Those mini chainsaws I’ve seen advertised lately would handle slightly bigger tree branches, but the little Bosch cuts up wooden rubbish, prunes the roses, prunes small trees and with a metal cutting blade is a power hacksaw. Its special feature is that it is really lightweight and can be used one handed comfortably.
My first decent hand saw. Game changer. I hating using my hand tools until I purchased decent quality hand tools. The difference in accuracy was an enjoyable realization. Now, I'm love any excuse to take out my pull saw and chisels. Many instances its faster than setting up my jigs and power tools!
Cheers!
The Toyota hiace changed the way I work. Well actually, it changed my work. It enabled me to start contracting as a wardrobe installer. Only the hiace and some other more less common vans are long enough to take the 2700 high robe doors.
Yota's are still reliable, ive heard Mazda has picked up build quality and over taken Honda, not that they make vans. Vans Rule, never go back to ute!
I wonder who told you about that Makita saw 😉 And they don't sell it in NZ because the guard doesn't pass our regulations, but there is a fix on the way... The blades are quite cheap and easy to get on Amazon Japan.
Yup, that's where I get mine. Maybe I should sell them over on my channel 🤔
My first Japanese pull saw was a great gateway into the world of hand tools. I reach for it quite frequently when I want to make a quick cut but don't want the noise or mess of a circular saw or miter
I get why Japanese pull saws are popular today. That doesn't mean I agree with it though. That's because I own decent western saws. Which are not so easy to come by these days. Saws that were just punched out on tooth machines and never properly sharpened have given western saws a bad rap. Cheap plastic handles. I get it! But it doesn't have to be that way.
@@1pcfred i like the tempered teeth on the pull saws. I also have more balance when pulling instead of pushing.
@@Kaodusanya I find pull saws uncomfortable for me to use. I do not have a balance problem with a decent western style saw. But good western saws can be expensive. That high price and limited availability are big downsides to traditional western saws. Pull saws have an advantage there.
For decades my Makita 5005BA corded 5 1/2" saw was my go to. This looks like an awesome cordless descendent with one-of-a-kind features aimed specifically for remodelers like myself. Thank you for posting! Never seen anyathing like it.
Our Men's Shed group needed to upgrade its larger bandsaw that was old, clunky and unsafe to use. We settled on a very similar Laguna 1412 which is everything the old one wasn't and more. Most impressive, it's our go-to machine for most ripping jobs in preference to our SawStop Professional cabinet saw.
I’ve had a few surprises doing electrical work.
Making holes in metal today? A spring loaded center punch. Mine is always being borrowed.
Simple “box cutter” knife. I use mine so often it’s worth it for me to carry the nicest one I can find. No more folders or break-points!
Penlight with the :light: part on the side. Floods immediate area with light, rather than giving you a tiny spot.
Power tools? Once I got my first 1/4-hex drive impact driver, my drill got abandoned.
1/2 length shopping cart. No joke. Great wheels, lets me keep hardware/ supplies at hand, collect trash, and eases set-ups as I move about the site. Two small, shallow baskets rather than a single deep one.
I made a clip-on “tool belt” to hang on the rail of a lift. Has pockets or bins for small parts.
A hand truck - with good tires - for moving my stuff around. Even customized it to carry specific items (broom?) and double as a wire dispenser.
Been thinking about buying a circular saw for a while, this is the advice and motivation I needed. Also living in Japan helps, just got the 18V 125mm saw
I bought a couple of clear acrylic Omnigrip quilting rulers with the vague idea that I was going to get into quilting. Instead, I use them constantly for woodworking because they make it so easy to square up (and triangle up?) my measurements. They are designed to be used with a rotary fabric cutter, and it turns out that this makes it easy to run a box cutter blade down the edge of the rulers to get extremely thin and precise marking lines for fine joinery.
I agree that a bandsaw is awesome. Everyone needs one!
Hi Scott, I'm a french carpenter based in Australia (and has worked in NZ too!) Where I'm from every single joiner and chippy carry a 2m so called german ruller and a 25x300mm steel ruller. 10 years after settling down under I still can't understand how tradies makes it through life using that old english design 1m fold out ruller... always too short, too thick... I've managed to convice a few people down here to use a 25x300mm steel ruller and they all confest these are great. The brand Shinwa is definately very easy to read the measurements from.
Greatings from Tassie!
At minute 3:03 my mind literally blew up. Removing part of the base to cut flush against the wall with a bevel is freaking awesome!!!!
#5 1/2 bench plane changed the way I work. It enabled me to get better fit and finish with much less error than sanding. I'm still working through the learning curve but it's been a game changer already.
I love the idea of that little circular saw. For those who are nervous of using a large, noisy circular saw, it is something they CAN work with. You need to feel in control of that saw and not the saw controlling you!!!
I want friends like Scott, tranquility permeates through his videos
I love your reason for the saw. That feeling of making a job easier and faster is so good eh!
TIP: for accurate measurement between facing surfaces: Butt ruler against one end, butt tape measure out to the other and overlap tape measure and ruler to the 100mm on the ruler. What you read on the tape measure length can be accurate to a 1/4mm and you add 100mm. Super accurate and you're not bending the tape measure into the corner and estimating the final curve section.
Of course you've done the 100mm mistake with a tape? Fun times.
There's 125mm blades designed to cut wood and metal (nails through wood) made by Dart which is available in NZ, they call it their MetalSonic Blade. It has a 22.2mm bore size which is likely not what the Makita uses, but you can get bushes for them to reduce down to suit the arbor.
Good you have mentioned Peter Millard. He's excellent!
Bought a Makita DCS553 Metal cutting circular saw when it was on sale. Cutting sheet metal or scoring the line for bending is a pleasure compared to a grinder. Smooth straight cut and cold to touch. Last year bought myself an XGT HP001 drill, but it wasnt the tool I use the most, but the blower AS001. Clean the PC, remove dust from items or dry up things.
As a DIYer.. the table saw (got a great deal on a dewalt job site one) is one of those things that now I have it, it's indispensable. Being able to quicky rip lengths of timber down to the sizes I need.. not just what's in stock at the merchant is great.. and saves me money.
Me too, super machine with the stand! Well worth the $422.54 :)
The Festool CSC SYS 50 table saw is the tool that changed the way I work. It’s a marvel of engineering and an absolutely magnificent tool. I’m a joiner and furniture maker and wouldn’t be without it now.
im glad you are getting nice tools for your hard work in these videos.
I have the same Laguna saw and I use it more than my table saw. I have used it for fine work and with the 1" blade fitted I can rip down hardwood railway sleepers. Truely a universal tool. Worth every cent.
I’m just a hobbyist but I have an OK range of tools from dropsaw, table saw, biscuiter, routers etc but the game changer was the Makita tracksaw. Its sooooo handy and productive.
Beautiful, this kind of obscure list is something i really enjoy, we all have seen people praise their favourite electric drill by now but these were really interesting
Great list Scott. Very eclectic & personal. As a builder of custom workbenches, my list includes: Paolini Pocket Rule (similar use to your small ruler); track saw; and a story stick kit (also from Woodpeckers). I know that you can make a story stick from scrap, but having measurement graduation lines built into the tool is what makes this factory made story stick a game changer for my work.
My indispensable tool is my black and decker gyro screwdriver. Fits neatly in the palm of the hand and with small movements of the wrist can control the speed and direction. No need to mess with switches in the middle of working. It does sometimes not have the grunt required but does 80% of required screwdriving well. Provides good speed control when putting in screws near the end when more powerful devices can damage the screw head.
From the UK. I totally agree with you about the circular saw.
Here I have a very old Black and Decker small circular saw which I bought a 115 mm blade for. To make it more useful I cut off the base plate
on the narrow side and welded it back on after making it as narrow as possible for use on flooring.Works great but can't do the 15 degrees.
Also I bought an angle grinder circular saw attachment and 125 mm 22.3 mm centre ripsaw blade which are now available.
I have not used this yet but I think this could be used left handed if you turn the blade round as well as the grinder but the Chinese attachment is
not great so I may try to improve it.
The bandsaw is the business! Good stuff. I don't have and have never had a table saw. Maybe one day.
I have three of those little rules, incredibly handy as is the 150mm crow bar that Gaston sells. You would not believe how handy that is.
Also love my CNC. That was the biggest game changer ever!
Absolutely agree about the bandsaw, I had a tiny one that I bought in an auction which was very poor. however I could see how useful it could have been if it wasn't junk. I bought a Kity 613 from eBay and it went from a bit of an indulgence to one of the most used machines in my shop. The fact that it will cut square makes it invaluable for so many jobs.
Scott band saw would step up any game in home workshop and like you easily put it also cut your finger off, lol. I'm not a pro builder more like DIY kind of dude, but a tool that helped me build some kitchen cabinets was a makita corded track saw brings the table saw to the plywood. Thanks for Sharing Scott hope to see some build from you new band saw.
when i finally got a tracksaw it made things a lot more professional. i used a bandsaw extensively when i was doing woodsculpture in college they really give you a lot of freedom that you can't get with other tools. you can easily carve a human arm out of a beam, etc. safely, with only a big bandsaw.
When I was a carpenter in Carmel, California, I switched to a 6" Porter Cable SawBoss. Light, fast, and safe. Changed the entire crew, and far fewer kickback accidents from 7-1/4" worm drive.
Such a handy feature you might have just found my new saw. Thanks Scott you are the man
That Makita Saw sure is helpful, I would love to have one like that.
2:43 im not even a builder, just a DIYer but this made me wanna get this. lol
As a builder in the US, one of the tools that changed my framing game was the 7-1/4” rear-handle circular saw. Specifically, I went with the Makita LXT x2 version which allows a shorter guy like me to more accurately cut down sheet goods in rough carpentry by extending my reach. Additionally, the track saw upped my game for super accurately breaking down sheet goods, trimming doors and cabinetry panels while minimizing splintering and tear out.
Dumbhead shaving horse. About 3'6" (106cm). I've tricked it out with cam hold-downs and a few other clamping options. I use it every day. As a saw horse, a carving bench, for filing knife blanks, for sharpening, for finicky fitting. And I made it from 2-by scraps. I eventually made another 14 for classes I teach.
A 150mm steel rule, one in my pocket, one in my nailbag, a dozen spares. The other game changer tool is my Bosch laser measure. It's milimeter accurate, measures internals in a second. Makes fitting doors and trim super fast and accurate.
I was wondering what bosch laser measure you're using?
Totally agree on the bandsaw. I am/was a NZ butcher by trade (HB Co-op) and we used bandsaws all the time. Meat saws are a bit different, but not that much, more hygiene ease of clean ect. I have a 17" grizzly and it's a beast. I looked at this Laguna here in the States and it was a close call. The Laguna I think is better, slightly, but the Grizzly has more size and grunt. I wanted it for re-sawing, like Scott is doing here, for guitar tops and the height and width of the 17 was critical. I had a chunk of swamp kauri and re-sawed for 3 decent guitar tops one pass, no joints. My dad was a carpenter in NZ and he had an old but solid 14" that worked well. If you have the room, they are very useful. If you're doing joinery and woodwork look at adding a drum sander. Jet do an open end 16" drum so you can flip the work around and run it through allowing potentially 32", for guitar making, cabinet doors ect or sizing stuff like figured maple that thicknessers tend to mangle, it's been excellent.
I have been using the Milwaukee metal circular saw as my main circular saw.
I just swapped out the metal saw disc and got a spurious circular saw disc and it’s very handy.
1) Laser Level
2)Track Saw
3) Cordless Nailers
I clearly remember working without these and the first job i did with each of these tools, it just boosted the speed and efficiency of my work
I like that ruler, i got it in my shop for years now! the tool, that changed my work was my first (used) festool table saw! greetings from germany, rené
Very nice circular saw and very nice demonstration!
I bought that circular saw 2 years ago and love it. Makita has a lot of great Japan exclusives.
One of the tools that has surprised me a lot with how much I use it is the Bosch GKF 12v edge router.
A small, nifty comfortable router with a wide base. Just makes rounding/chamfering edges soooo easy to do.
I have a small Skill saw. I bought it because I didn't have much money and just moved to Germany. I use it a lot because of its size. I would say my 80 euro drill press is the most used tool in my shop. Tools are what you have in materials. My NZ workshop has vastly different tools to my German. I have three impact drills in Germany, only one in NZ. Far more concrete and stone tools. Torx bits left, right and center. Long ones, short ones. Good ones, cheap ones. Rusty ones, clean ones.
Bought an evolution chopsaw for cutting steel. Sped me up and majorly improved the accuracy of my work, compared to when I was doing the majority of my cutting with a 230 mm angle grinder. Mag drill was another one of those tools that really changed how I worked, too. A mig welder is the next tool that I'm considering, but power will be the issue there. Keep up the good work, loving the videos here in Ireland.
When i am asked what machine should be purchased first for a woodworking shop I also respond bandsaw. So many more options for its use as you said.
Funny, for me it was the little Makita DHS680. I just wanted to use it to cut up pallets. Now I use the saw on everything. It is so handy and precise, a dream.
I actually have several of the Shinwa rulers to. Very usefull.
My number two is my Milwaukee 12V cordless screwdriver with the different chucks. It's really fun to work with it.
But I love my Makita multitool DTM52 the most.
It was like a revelation when I used it for the first time.
Greetings from Germany, I really like your channel.
The Harbor Freight Bauer line has a cordless little circular saw like that! I was not expecting it to be so useful but like you found out, it's small but capable, and runs a good couple hours on that battery too! In the field it's really nice to be at a random location and be able to make all the small cuts you need right where you're working.
Great info Scott. Totally agree on small steel ruler. Money for accuracy.
From reading some of the comments, it looks like getting that Makita HS005GZ in the US will not be as easy as with my usual (Milwaukee, etc.)
I'm not a good carpenter/woodworker (ok, I'm a shite woodworker/carpenter), but now that I'm 'retired' and not working 60+ hrs. as a software engineer, I'm getting more serious about it. I have worked on quite a number of old homes here in Chicago. That dual bevel feature would have been very useful (I usually get brought in to do electrical and plumbing work and end up being a helper for my friends who are excellent carpenters). I've been holding off on a cordless circular saw, but I am about to start ripping out the kitchen of my 1914-built home (horrible 60s remodel), and that saw looks perfect for what I need to do.
Anyway, I love the channel. Thanks for posting.
I’ve got that ruler!
So clear to read and easy to pick up after loosing all your fingers on the bandsaw lol!
I just purchased a battery powered reciprocating saw not for wood or metal work but for pruning roses and it is fantastic
First time I subscribe to a channel by watching just one video. Quality!
The festool domino is amazing, I make all my own doors now with ease! I was cutting a floor out last week thinking there has to be a better way to get close to the wall. I’m going to try find one of these now! Cheers Scott
As a property guardian wanting to make the most of high ceilings I built a high bedframe for an Ikea slat base using chunky timber and coach bolts. Once I'd gone back to living in normal houses, the Kreg R3 pocket hole jig kit let me start building plywood furniture, including workshop storage units for bike parts and tools, and for working-from-home, an 8 foot long desk on top of two drawer units big enough to hold 600 x 400 boxes.
I know a carpenter who used to use a circ saw like that, years ago. It was corded, prob same blade size, it was light green, quite powerful. The smallest tool that can do the job is almost always a good idea, less weight, less torque, less fatigue and safer
As a machinist I recommend carrying one of the steel rules that you showed, but also a double-hook rule. Basically a T-square in miniature form. You can hook over edges that are hard to see, and you can use it as a square to mark out cross-lines. When I was machining full time, I carried a thin flexible rule, thicker engineer's rule, and hook rule at all times, and it saved me time all over the place.
Hey Scott, long time watcher first time commenter. The short shot of your boots in this vid inspired this comment. Leather and timber are such great natural products, and i can see you guys appreciate the balance of quality and value, so I just wanted to recommend Thursday boots and send you down the youtube rabbit hole of boot reviews etc (Roseanvil if tou havnt got on that yet). No loaded stuff here, just a great product I think you'd like. Keep up the great content.
Scott, I came across your channel just now. You’ve spoken so well and edited this video with such skill. Well done. You’ve got my subscription.
Hi Scott I imported one from Japan I use it all the time great tool
that saw is cool, if you can't get non makita blades for it in NZ you probably need to bulk import a load of those blades and keep a stash, pay the import / shipping fee once. very impressed by the cut next to wall soooooo many times i could have used that, looks a really good saw for electricians and plumbers too.
I use Shinwa measuring tools every single day. One thing you didn't mention is how accurate they are. The tape measures and the long steel rules ...basically anything i have purchased from them...are all absolutely spot on.
Thanks Scott, those little metal rulers are fantastic. I am always using my little Toledo steel ruler. Not so much trouble picking it up, more putting it down and not being able to find it!
@festool you're nuts if you don't send Scotty a Domino for his exciting videos.
seeing you use the small makita encouraged me to purchase one as well (I live in the states) and it is also my most used saw it’s absolutely worth the extra shipping costs!!
The tool that most defines my style of cabinetmaking is my Bosch 125mm random orbital sander with 40 grit sandpaper and Festool dust extractor vacuum. I can sand all day without needing a respirator and everything I usually make is very well rounded-off but much more "organic" than a router does it. After I've built and rounded a piece of furniture with 40 grit, I go down through the grits - usually to about 180. Depending on what I'm making and what wood I'm using, I have gone as low as 2000 grit - but 40 grit does all the serious work.
Great information. I committed to never use a table saw because of the risk. The bandsaw makes sense.
The small circular saw is the little engine that could.
14" BandSaw. Lots of use. I buy or get given lots of rough cut boards and it makes easy work to break them down to what I want. I've had the Domino for seven years, and boy does it speed up joinery. You will find yourself reaching for it all the time.
The mini makita is phenomenal, it’s my most used circular saw by far
Not a wood worker but a mechanic here, brought one of those tiny pocket pry bars as a novelty thing from the tool van but I now use it every day, from opening boxes to wedging things apart it gets the most use out of any of my everyday carry tools 😂
Love a good pry bar and nylon hammers.
We used those steel rulers for manual drafting, back when I studied mech eng. I still have mine 20 years later, always been useful.
I just bought that little ruler for my portable tool bag. Thanks for the recommendation.
A 300mm Rabone steel rule has usually been in my work pants since I started timberframing in 2005. A folding rule has been there since I started working with German and Swiss framers in 2009. To be fair, a tape is the thinnest of all the measuring tools you mentioned and you can press the edge tighter to the surface of your lumber or whatever than either of the others. Still, the others have their time and place and a carpenter who does varied work should have all 3.
Every tool I've bought has changed the way I work - I started DIY with a handsaw so my first circular saw was a game changer. Multi-tool and tracksaw are more recent additions that have turned otherwise horrible or very tricky jobs into easy ones. Just bought my first rear-handled saw - interesting to see how that chnages things.
My favourite small rule is the Starrett C635, all-metric graduations, satin chrome. It is exactly 150mm long so both ends are reference edges - and the way they have the scales, there is always one reading the way you want. I used to have a typical metric/imperial one but only one end is usable as zero. Twice as much ruler-flipping, much more ruler-dropping. The Starrett is always in my tool belt and I reach for it all the time. Buy them now before the new owners of that old firm play havoc with the quality....
Hi Scott, the Festool domino is a necessity indeed! When you're doing a lot of fine woodworking (or even making countertops) its an amazing tool that works really fast. no more need for large router tables for those mortise and tenon joints, even with the lounge benches you made for the store it would have been very handy! saves you a couple hours of work ;)
A tool that I reach for everyday is a thin pry bar called a beekeeper tool. Great for trim work and window shades and all kinds of stuff.
Multi tool I love it
Think it’s so versatile
Also battery planer changed my work so much
The 10 1/4 inch 40v Makita beam saw changed the way I frame. Being able to cut full 4x4s and 6x6s in 3 cuts without a sawzall is very handy. Also cutting studs 2 at a time using a stop block and marking the 3rd with the blade. Repeat. I can cut up 100 studs in no time with only 1 measurement (and a couple checks to make sure I haven't wandered).