3 Must-Have Power Tools?

[13]

In your opinion, which 3 power tools should no home be without?

I'm gonna go with:
1. Cordless Drill/Driver
2. Miter Saw
3. Dremel

[uglymoney]

4. Air Compressor w/tank
5. Impact Wrench
6. Nail Gun

Don't borrow an air compressor if you don't want one. They are as addictive as cigarettes. I can't really imagine happiness without one at this point. It is so money to have air around on demand when you need it at the end of a long hose.

[El Chupacabra]

Your avatar says otherwise:

1)



2)



3)

[mwthomsen]

Table saw
Cordless Driver
Aircompressor combo kit nail gun/brad nailer (sold together at home depot so I count it as one!)

[XtrPickels]

Cordless driver
Circular saw
Random Orbital Sander

[flip]

Drill
Circular Saw
Dremel

Would love to have air, but you can build damn near anything with the above stuff and hand tools. I actually just ebayed my impact wrench (not impact driver) which wasn't getting enough use.

[wwwllw]

Drill
Sawzall
Circular Saw

[house]

only 3? sheesh that'd be no fun. but if i had to whittle the list down it'd probably be:

cordless drill
circular saw
sawzall!!!

the sawzall/reciprocating saw probably doesn't get used as much as others would, but it definitely kicks ass when you need it.

[bmg97]

Weed
Beer
Weed

or

Drill
Sawzall
Circular saw

[toast2266]

Drill
some sort of reciprocating saw
router

[RootSkier]

For what? As a carpenter, remodeler, ski mounter, mr. fixit,

skill saw
cordless drill/driver
#3 is tough....what can't you do without power? Hmmm.....depends what your goals are. As far as multitasking, I am gonna go with:
grinder

FUCK a dremel, morons.

edit: I LOVE me some good sawzall action (check out the articulating head Porter Cable Tiger Saw for the real shit), but #4 is OBVIOUSLY a chainsaw.

A router? Please, dog.

[Blurred]

Hows about a chipper/shredder to throw all you morons into?

[13]

#4 is OBVIOUSLY a chainsaw.

If I lived in a wooded area, it would have made #3.

[VC]

#1 Chainsaw
#2 Angle Grinder
#3 MIG Welder

[farmer]

drill
sawsall
circular saw

angle grinder, compressor w/ nail gun, impact gun, and a sander all come close

[likwid]

Fein Multimaster.
Estwing hammer.

[RootSkier]

^^^ a Multimaster? That's so fucking emo it makes Rontele look macho.

[SuperChief]

Get off the cordless bandwagon, buy a 1/2in corded drill. It will last forever and can drill bigger holes, or through walls, subfloors etc...You just have more options with being able to chuck a larger bit. If ya need cordless don't buy a 300.00dollar dewalt, get a 100.00 craftsman, unless your a professional.

(not a power tool, A craftsman 100 piece socket set, got one in highschool for my birthday and has been one of the best gifts ever, at least most useful and it's over 20 years old. Since it's power tools a belt sander then a random orbital sander.

Bench grinder is the third, you can put a buffing wheel on it or a wire wheel to clean parts up and make them shiny.

If ya need a third power tool I would consider a circular saw.

All hobby workshops should have all the above with a nice bench vice.

Only 3 powertools is fawking impossible.

[irul&ublo]

[khakis]

a rotozip saved me more time than I would have ever imagined during my recent remodel...but if I had to choose 3 it would be:
GOOD cordless drill/driver (yes a dewalt or milwaukee, I will not buy another cordless crapsman product)
circular saw
sawzall

[mcsquared]

1.The new breed of cordless li-ion impact drivers rule. I hardly ever use my regular drill driver anymore.
2.Wormdrive Circular saw
3.Shop Vac
4.Douglas Hammer. I know it isn't a power tool, but fuck if it doesn't feel like one.

[RootSkier]

Yeah, I fucking despise driving screws with anything but an impact driver anymore, but still, it's not nearly the versatile tool that an 18 or more volt cordless hammer drill/driver is. If you can only have three you gotta pick the drill.

[Cburns]

I know this isn't gear swap, but with everyone loving a sawzall I have an extra if anyone wants to buy it.

Now, the 3 tools:

Cordless Drill (no need for corded if the the drill is a bomber 18 volt)

Circular Saw (if you think you need a miter saw to make a nice cut, give up now and sell your tools)

Hart California Framer 20oz.

I would also lobby for ear plugs. Saves your ears and you can pretend not to hear the mrs when she is yelling at you in the shop/garage.

[toast2266]

A router? Please, dog.

I'm sticking with it... you can do all kinds of shit with a router. Like turn it into a lathe.

If I need to accurately duplicate a cut in wood, it's super easy to rough it out with a reciprocating saw, and then use a pattern and the router to make the same shape all day long.

If I'm not confined by the space I actually have in my garage, or by any kind of budget I might change from a router to a cnc mill. Those things are buckets o' fun.

Although I gotta saw, the welder suggestion has me questioning the router. I really wish I had a welder.