You Only NEED 2 POWER TOOLS!! (Here's What They Are…2 MOST IMPORTANT Power Tools)
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Viewers always want to know which power tools I think they should absolutely have. DIYers are overwhelmed with power tool choices! But, if you’re a DIYer, I really think YOU ONLY NEED 2 POWER TOOLS! That’s what we’re talking about in this episode of The Honest Carpenter.
I think the 2 MOST IMPORTANT POWER TOOLS are:
Circular Saw
1/2″ Cordless Drill (18V or 20V)
I truly believe you only need these 2 power tools, because they cover your most basic functions when practicing carpentry: CUTTING and FASTENING.
Circular Saws act as a stand-in for miter saws and table saws. They’re essentially as powerful as these larger tools, with a 15-amp motor on a 7-1/4″ blade. But, unlike the 2 larger power tools, the circular saw can be carried around in your hand. It can cross-cut like a miter saw, but rip like a table saw. And, it doesn’t have cut reach limits–it will cut as far as you can push it.
1/2″ Cordless Drills are the ultimate power tools for fastening, because they can both DRILL and DRIVE. I like nail guns, but they generally only do one thing well: frame, siding nail, trim nail…The 1/2″ Cordless Drill can be adapted to handle all of these functions by driving a huge variety of fasteners.
Also, cordless drills have clutches, so they offer more control than corded drills. Though, I do think you should only use 18v and 20v cordless drills, because they have enough power to turn larger bits (paddle bits, hole saws, speed bor bits) without bogging down as much.
That’s why I think YOU ONLY NEED 2 POWER TOOLS when you’re beginning to build your collection. I operated off of these 2 most important power tools for years as a younger carpenter.
The only setbacks, as I see them, is that circular saws can be dangerous power tools. (PLEASE PRACTICE ALL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS WHEN WORKING WITH CIRCULAR SAWS!). And, drills leave large holes to fill. But, trim head screws can reduce this problem, and woodfiller, sanding and patience can make your painted projects look great.
That’s why I think you only need these 2 power tools! A good circular Saw, and a decent 1/2″ 18v or 20v Cordless drill.
Thanks for watching!
Be sure to check back in for more videos soon, and visit us at The Honest Carpenter website:
www.thehonestcarpenter.com
If you didn’t get a teal Mikita circular saw as a hand-me-down, you weren’t the favorite child…
Yet another "watch me, an expert, build using a multitude of expensive tools but you, a novice, can do it with a sharpened potato"
2:58 summary of the video: you only need a circular saw and a drill
Clickbait Spoiler: The two tools are Circular Saw and Drill. Saved you 10 minutes. Thank me later.
IMPACT DRIVER AND CIRCSAW, preferably a Skil Worm drive
I remember when I was a child, my older step brother (much older) built a bathroom onto our house. He had no power tools at all, sometime later, he bought a circular saw, and that that was the extent of his power tools. Moral of the story, as I see it, a person needs no power tools, but with each tool the job becomes easier and faster.
start at 2:55
A medium quality jigsaw should be your third.
Can you recommend a drill that can be bought in the uk?
As an absolute beginner, i only got a jigsaw, a drill and a hammer… ordered the circular saw recently as jigsaw takes forever to cut…
What Do You Think Of The Dewalt Milwaukee Ryobi Ridgid
Cordless Circular Saw
Power tools are extremely dangerous. I have been a woodworker for over thirty years and in that time I have lost parts or all of six of my fingers. Be careful and treat power tools with respect.
Thank you for your explanations!
a sds-drill
I wouldnt wanna drill i concret with a little powerdrill
Circular saws scare the crap out of me. 😬
I might only need 2 power tools, but I *want* 268.
No, no. He’s got a point.
Yu are right Sir.
Impact driver m12 is to install bicycles for making holes on wood the cordless drill. If you want the tools want to last 10 years.
I’ve always loved carpentry but have to depend on others to build for me. I’m a beginner now at 67 big ones ! Can you put up more videos for us beginners? Just how to even use basic tools please ! Thank you!!
I did my first project ever with the two tools. I bought DeWalt corded circular saw from a discount sale, and the Hilti 18 volt drill / driver in a similar manner. It wasn’t perfect, but close enough and I got the job done. All the additional tools after that just increased comfort and speed, mostly.
Thanks for the video, Looking to get into this cause I like to fix old worn out stuff but tools are kind of tricky cause I have little money to put up for tools so I’m just piecing them together at a time, pawn shops I heard are good for acquiring tools, and second hand stores….may need to test them first
You need to shorten up your videos.
I really don’t like batteries, 110 AC is easier to deal with.
Are circular safe? You hear in so many posts how circular saws are dangerous? Or, or is this narrative better connected to table saw. I know more of kickback.
I would throw in a 18volt impact and a table saw along with what you have
2 powertool for me will be corded circular saw and drill
I got more tools than you can shake a stick at and you might be correct
Would a trimmer/router be useful to a home based woodworker?
I suspect it would be used much less than the circular saw & drill????
It was very helpful, thanks
As a beginner myself, this is gem. Thanks sir Honest Carpenter! 🍻
nice
Just the video I was looking for. Thank you Sir!
what kind of tools would you suggest for a Tiling project ?
How’d you keep the van from being broekn into? I’m intimidated by my circular saw – more than a reciprocal saw, def more than of saw. Need help getting over that.
Excellent video. Thanks for sharing.
Can you cut circles with a circular saw?
Miter saw is better cutting tool for 95% of anyone’s cutting needs BUT it doesn’t cut plywood or rip boards so I agree. Circular saw it is. 3rd one should probably then be the miter saw.
Thanks. I am searching what portable cutting tools I can use to cut plywood. I will buy circular cutting saw. And thanks for shawing the price, now I have idea about the price range. So heloful thanks!
I’d add also a router – it can do many tasks
Thanks i just bought a cicular, it arrives today. Watching how to videos and will definitely read the manual through and through.
Drill and a circular saw. That would be my choice if I could only have 2.
I can’t argue against your choice. My first power tool was a corded drill (1980) when I used a hand saw. Next tool was a corded jigsaw (1982 ish) closely followed by a corded circular saw
40 odd years later I now have almost any saw you can name, table, band, fret, oscillating, compound mitre. Now in modernolegy I am moving all of my hand held power tools to battery things
Great video as usual. However i am not convinced that circular saw is the right 2nd tool (after hammer drill) for beginner DIYer. As honest carpenter said himself, they are dangerous.
Much better and safer to start with jigsaw as a 2nd tool.
I am was never a builder, but worked on sites as electrician before moving into High Voltage power systems and then IT.
I am experienced DIYer though and I can do all jobs relevant to building the house apart from plastering well.
If we consider possible jobs DIYers are going to do around the house, they will be mostly fixing things and doing small, low volume cuts, usually corrections to already precut timber or playwood etc.
I am in uk and what most people would do as carpentry project is to lay down laminated flooring and build a shed.
For laminated flooring cuts mitre saw is much faster and safer tool than circular saw and for non prosumer level of the tool not much more expensive.
For building a shed, you would be mad to buy 4 by 2 and plywood panels and cutting them yourself with circular saw.
It is better and safer to design your shed properly and buy precut panels etc from timber merchant.
When you laid down your shed concrete base, how are you going to screw your timber to it?
You need SDS drill to do it quickly.
Having circular saw is not going to help with that.
So from what I had seen and helped with in uk DIY world, hammer drill and jigsaw are the basic tools. Then either SDS drill (removing old tiles from bathroom or patio) or mitre saw for flooring job.
Then probably reciprocating saw for demolishing old shed and cutting branches from trees.
Only then circular saw.
Sanding by hand is a worthless waste of time. (and skin) Don’t be cheap and for the love of all that is good buy some sandpaper. You can thank me later.
Looking to build a workshop! Curious what size is yours? Any suggestions?
I couldn’t agree more. The next tools was a miter saw and a router when I started to get into trim work. Amazing how much work you can get done with these.
A drill and a circular saw. Then after you use those for a while you’ll figure out why you need an oscillating tool, reciprocating saw, angle grinder, jig saw, miter saw, band saw, table saw, chainsaw, sander, planer, bench grinder, drill press, hydraulic press, lathe, and a jackhammer.
Spot on
For more finished work , just add a cheap Angle Grinder with sanding flap disk or Sanding paper pad with it. You will rock upto 90% perfect woodworking….