For the first several years of me making stuff, I used hand
saws for all of my cuts, and removed layers of wood with
sandpaper or files. The only electric tool I regularly used
was a drill, and even at that one of my earliest posts here
were about prototyping a pump drill. I certainly had
visions of making without electricity.
Then one day my wife told me she was pregnant. And from
pregancy to the first year and a half of my child's life,
the pump drill project has stayed on hold. And more and
more I find myself using power tools first, not only
appreciating the speed, but the increased accuracy.
Still, I like doing things inexpensively. I do not own, nor
have ever used, a table saw or even track saw (though I have
recently made a station that gives a circular saw a short
track, which is not technically the same thing).
But first a word of advice:
1.) Fuck Batteries.
Back when it was easier to find versions of power tools that
came in both corded and cordless, the corded version was
was the cheaper one, which reflects the real cost of
manufacture. So it is entirely possible that following this
advice will be first-order cheaper.
But tool companies have figured out that it is in their
interest to get you locked into their battery system so they
can do fun things (for them) like using microcontrolers to
prevent the tool from working with other brands of batteries.
Yes, there is a market online for tools and microcontrollers
to fool, say, a DeWalt into accepting a Harbor Freight tool's
battery, but I would rather avoid Amazon as well.
If it ever comes to it, I would pay a slight premium to get
a corded tool. I am also willing to lug around extension
cords, and if I even had an absolute need to word away from
the reach of my cords, I have a power station that I bought
to keep charged for emergencies.
Don't sacrifice the open standard of your country's power
grid just so some company can pretend they need a walled
garden to make an induction motor go spin.
2.) Climbing Mt. Jigsaw
Jigsaws tend to be cheaper than circular saws. Also, they
feel a lot safer to use for newbies, and I am not going to
ask anyone to challenge that feeling.
The problem with a jigsaw is that the blades are flimsy and
so when they hit the material they are going to go off to
the side. This is called deflection. We must solve
deflection if a jigsaw is going to be anything beyond a
demolition tool.
For the impatient, here is one of the shortest videos with
one of the easiest methods:
https://youtu.be/80bgLQuCLuk?si=0Vm_rRKrcl-oAs8X
Another channel, similiar, but easier (though longer vid):
https://youtu.be/KgRVVZSy1ik?si=L1rlHXY_VTAIPKm1
The YT channel Woodworking with DIY tools is about making
jigs, and he tackles the jigsaw topic well.
Some accuracy:
https://youtu.be/VrxuEWq1JZQ?si=bNzlYQaXZTeZY3ZY
The masterpiece:
https://youtu.be/X-_vY8CTHBY?si=Z26_-Hd-dlKq5oHK
Another creator, another good idea:
https://youtu.be/bBmFkEOdU6M?si=xajHIvsKf0teIw7E
3.) circular saw
I got my circular saw several years for less than $40
retail. I only bought it because I was trying to use up a
gift card to the Home Depot, and it sat there for years.
Recently, I finally built a cross cut station for it. I
don't plan on going back to cutting 2 by 4s any other way.
This section is organized by YouTube Channel
One Minute Workbench:
---------------------
https://youtu.be/68v9JlSM6OQ?si=C1gGGsCaSllRgXyw
DIY Creators
------------
https://youtu.be/N1-Pxik-u4U?si=LFGovo_pMT9f5Tim
https://youtu.be/CStLQkg3GLQ?si=I87_k5iHYBNrf6La
Imagine then Make:
------------------
https://youtu.be/ujMxPkuzDYY?si=mGD7V8t6QV8reean
https://youtu.be/LRYbhwfQAfg?si=7NlYyq1dTB1OWaVg
https://youtu.be/wvKZPp_mPgM?si=1Z-Y4HvD8D5ELia2
Yasushiro TV:
-------------
https://youtu.be/QCnCP1hdg9g?si=Z_OtGIJG3QXIOStU
https://youtu.be/Y0gBT_FK62s?si=ve0U7coEhThHeu0t
Advoko MAKES:
https://youtu.be/c1Jfx4ccFFA?si=9w-nGJ1qPeWJ4L6V
