What tool(s) would you buy for £200?

[BenB]

I have a couple of hundred pounds to spend on a birthday present for myself, not a huge workshop. A full-sized lathe won't fit easily

What tool or tools have you bought yourself that you used all the time or gave you particular satisfaction?

I already have a drill/driver, impact driver, table saw (rescued from the tip), jigsaw, mitre saw, router & home-made router table, cheapo pillar drill, 3D printer, cheapo bandsaw, multi tool, pocket hole jig, I was looking at the mini circular saws (Worx etc) planers, sanders, lathes, and various gadgets

Thanks

 

[Rorton]

what do you already have tool wise?

 

[artie]

Track saw.
I never had one until 3-4 years ago.
It gets more use than I ever imagined it would.
After the mitre saw and the table saw .

 

[Noggsy]

It obviously depends on what you’re doing. For me, I’ve got a Quangsheng no. 7 plane from Workshop Heaven that I use all the time. I’ve got a Veritas block plane I got secondhand and again, I use all the time. I’ve got a Record 4 1/2 that I got for about £25 (from here) and I’m finding I reach for that instead of the 5 or 5 1/2 now.

Off the bench, I’ve got a carving drawknife that stays razor-sharp just from stropping (Axminster) that I love. And a Japanese splitting axe from WSH that gets weekly use.

In terms of machines; my bandsaw is probably my most-frequently used machine. Followed closely by the drill press.

Again, it very much depends on what you want to do. Good luck in spending your £200.

 

[TheUnicorn]

personally I'd get a double bevel sliding mitre saw, I've just got a simple one without the slide and always regret not getting the upgrade, it would get a lot more use.

 

[billw]

As mentioned above it really depends on what you already have any what you want to make.

For £200 right now? A router is next on my list.

 

[BenB]

what do you already have tool wise?

Thanks for your response, I have a drill/driver, impact driver, table saw, jigsaw, mitre saw, router & home-made table, pillar drill, 3D printer, cheapo bandsaw, multi tool, pocket hole jig, I was looking at the mini circular saws (Worx etc) planers, sanders, lathes, and various gadgets

 

[billw]

Thanks for your response, I have a drill/driver, impact driver, table saw, jigsaw, mitre saw, router & home-made table, pillar drill, 3D printer, cheapo bandsaw, multi tool, pocket hole jig, I was looking at the mini circular saws (Worx etc) planers, sanders, lathes, and various gadgets

So the big gap in your kit is stuff to make surfaces flat. I'd think that looking there would be a good start. £200 is a bit light in that department for powered kit, but you could certainly get a lot of hand tools for that money.

 

[sammy.se]

also,
what do want to make?

 

[clogs]

a good diamond lap plate will always make u smile......nothing worse than blunt tools....
any change, think I'd get an expresso coffee machine for the shed......mmmmm

 

[julianf]

I find a thickenesser very useful. £200 is on the slim side, but iirc mine was £350 used and it's probably £1k ish new.

But then you need some sort of extractor also. They're not optional as, without, chips get under the blades and wreck the finish anyway.


Failing that, I'd buy a decent second hand compressor. The sort of thing that would be £450 new would probably be £150 used. A proper belt driven one, none of the loud direct drive ones.

 

[Jameshow]

I'd buy some planes no4 and no5

Even if you have some turn the worst ones into scrubbing planes.

I'd also buy a rip, cross cut, tenon and dovetsil saw. (Resharpenable.)

Also dovetail squares, veritas are ones are nice!

Any change????

Cheers James

 

[Cabinetman]

I needed a new set of handtools when I was in the States last year, I ordered just a very basic set from Axminster including delivery I seem to remember it was about £150, tenon saw, marking gauge, try square, marking knife, Engineers spike, nail punch, nice wooden handled screwdriver, one of those really good Japanese adjustable bevels, a mallet and a pin hammer. I already had the chisels and a number 4 plane. Then I fitted them all into a wooden rack to carry into the house for safety and warmth.
rope handle not fitted at this point.

 

[Cabinetman]

Forgot, sharpening stone and Liberon honing oil as well, the Stanley number four was from a secondhand shop and fettled at home prior to me leaving. It really doesn’t have to be an expensive hobby this of ours. Ian

 

[Felix]

Unless you have a need for a tool right now and rather than spend it for the sake of it - save your money until a project comes along that you need a specific tool for and buy it then......your money will then go to something you actually need rather than something that you think you need.

I don't know what you like making, but a tool that I find very useful is a scrollsaw - there are no end of things you can make with one of them.

 

[powertools]

My advice would be to just buy the tools that you will need to complete the next project you want to make.

 

[thetyreman]

I'd spend some of it on a quality combination square like starrett, you'll never regret that purchase, but think about what projects you want to make FIRST then get the tools needed, you might find there are tools you don't even need over time once you've made a few projects you'll get a feel for what's important and what isn't.

 

[TheUnicorn]

Unless you have a need for a tool right now and rather than spend it for the sake of it - save your money until a project comes along that you need a specific tool for and buy it then......your money will then go to something you actually need rather than something that you think you need.

I'd second that

 

[Peter Sefton]

Peter Parfitt has some ideas for Christmas.

 

[harryc]

Get yourself some decent dust extraction, your lungs will thank you.