Are you sick and tired of looking at that wall? Have you dreamed of tearing it out and enlarging the master bathroom? Or maybe you’re just ready to add that deck to the back of your house. Your friends are already on board for a weekend of free food and drink in exchange for a little manual labor. Whatever your home improvement task, it will be much faster and easier if you use power tools.
Here are some basics for buying, renting, or borrowing for any remodeling project, big or small:
– Sanders: The orbital sander is a hand-held machine that shortens the work of sanding rough edges. It is ideal for putting the final touches on a project. For heavier jobs on wood or metal, a belt sander is probably your best bet. Using sanders saves you time and energy (sanding by hand is hard work!). For safety reasons, if you do not have a dust bag attached to the machine, be sure to wear a dust mask.
– Saws: There are several saws to choose from, but the job really dictates which one is best. First, you have a reciprocating saw. This one looks like a giant electric turkey slicer. It’s good for jobs like cutting out windows and making small detailed cuts. Next up is the circular saw. This one is manual and is good for making quick shortcuts that don’t have to be perfect, like shortening a 2×4. It’s also good for making odd-angled cuts in large boards that would be too difficult to clamp with a table saw. Which brings us to the table saw. This is great for going over a large board and making a straight cut. If the board is very long, you will need another person to help you. Lastly, there is the miter saw. This is a great tool for making angled cuts that need to be perfect. For example, the cut of the crown molding needs to be just right so that the pieces fit into the corners. The last two saws are a bit more expensive and may fall under the rental or loan category, unless you plan on doing a lot of projects.
– Power drills: There are many different types of power drills and the one you use depends on the type of job. For most of the work you’ll likely be doing, a regular cordless drill should have plenty of power. You can use it to drill through wood, metal, and plastic. You may need different types of bits depending on the material you are drilling. Once you have drilled the hole, you can use a screwdriver attachment to finish the job with the drill. A power drill is a very versatile tool and should be in anyone’s power tool collection.
Just remember to always operate power tools as recommended in the manual and when you’re done, clean up. A properly maintained machine will last a long time and you will want to take care of your investment. Also, be sure to follow safety guidelines and use some common sense when operating these machines. One wrong move and you could end up in the back of an ambulance hoping they can reattach your finger! Seriously though, be careful and work smart. That’s the best way to get the most out of your power tools and make your home improvement project a success.