Which namebrand of tools is best for woodworking?
Which namebrand of tools is best for woodworking?
I’m looking for a Christmas present for my dad, I want to get him a gift certificate, in order for him to buy the tools he needs for his woodworking shop. He is extremely gifted at making anything out of wood and usually will only buy the best. I have no idea which brandname is the best or which store or catalog would be the best. Please help if you can. Christmas is coming very soon.
He has built a kitchen table out of wormy chestnut, a beutiful 4 poster bed, a bassinette for his grandson, a tool chest, and a huge quilt chest. He also built new cabinets for a friend of his. Thanks for all the help so far.
Best answer:
Answer by scooprandell
stanley
What do you think? Answer below!
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It depends on what type of woodworking he does. There are many, many brands of different tools out there. To each his own. You could try this link. They have an online store and alot of very fine products to choose from. Maybe a gift certificate from a place like this and he can pick out what he needs or wants. Good Luck.
http://www.woodcraft.com
http://www.festool.com
One way for you to decide is to see what he already has in brands. If he buys only the best, then he has his preferred brands. There are many, and vary in price. Its up to you and your budget. If you want the very best like Jet, Delta, DeWalt, Bosch, you are looking at close to $ 1000. If you are willing to settle for mediocre like, Makita, Craftsman, anywhere from $ 300 to $ 600. My advise would be to give him a certificate in the amount you want to spend and let him supplement anything after that. Tools are complicated, because there are so many.
It sounds like he has taken a hobby and turned it into a passion. Anything you get him, any amount, will be greatly appreciated.
Sears, Lowe’s, Home Depot there all good for gift cards. I personaly prefer the Ridgid brand tools they have a really good return policy. But then Sears has the extended warrenty. Oh and anytime you need another dad give me a call would love to get tools from my kids…hint hint hint.
Go with what Scorpia said - with specific regard to finding out what brand of tool your Dad has now. If your Dad has made the things you’ve mentioned, then he likely has a good supply - of good tools, of the brand[s] he likes.
I know surprises are sometimes much preferred, but could you simply ask him what tool he’d like to have? Does he have a friend who might know which tool he’d like to have?
Can you sneak into his workshop and see if his supply of sandpaper is low? I know this isn’t your big tool gift, but it could augment as a stocking-stuffer. Maybe a new/different Router bit? A Router stand/table? A subscription to a quality woodworking magazine? A quality set of Drill Bits? A Drill Bit Sharpener?
Are you handy yourself? ‘Twould be neat to make him a groovy toolbox. They’re very simple to build, and I bet he’d like something that you made. Or, check out eBay for this. You might find an antique tool, or toolbox, that he’d appreciate.
Keep the Faith ~ You’ll find SoMeTHinG that will be the perfect gift!
I use the “stanley” brand I’ve been in business for 47 years.
For smaller hand tools, it is hard to beat Porter cable… I think they are made here in the USA. I have a screw shooter made by Dewalt… that sucker is the energizer bunny of power tools. I have had it for around 12 years now, and I have used it almost daily, many of the screws have been #12 3 1/2 inch screws, and often screwed without a pilot hole. It just never quits. Makita also makes a small router that has help up over the years, but I burned out 3 switches in their 3 HP model, replaced it with 3 HP Porter Cable and I’ve had that one for about 10 years now.
I think the bottom line is… some brands are good depending on the particular tool you are looking for. Hope this helps… good luck!
Delta
I agree with pretty much all that has been said so far. There is no one brand that is the “best”. It really depends on the tool. I have been a wood worker for most of my 70 years and I have tools from all of the major and some minor manufacturers.
If it were me, I’d go for the gift card for Lowes or HomeDepot. They have a wide range of good tools from the simpliest hand tool to large power tools.
Tools I would recommend are Porter Cable, DeWalt, Delta, Milwaukee, Craftsman.
Stores that I would recommend are Sears, Home Depot, Menards.
Catalogs would be the Craftsman tools catalog or Sears. They have several brands besides Craftsman.
DEWALT have got to be the best i use then all day as im a carpenter and thay have never let me down?
check out Rockler for “fine” woodworking tools..
Hand tools? or Power tools?
I tend to buy stanley, or vaughan, stanley has a good assortment and variety of tools, Sears Craftsmans is good stuff.
For Bench power tools look at Jet, Grizzly, Ridgid or Rockwell. Portable Power tools, Milwaukee, Portacable, Dewalt, Bosch (Bosch being the choice)
Since he seems to have a lot of experience, it might not be wise to give a tool to him. First, he may have it or have a way of doing the same thing the way he likes to do it. Second, if you don’t know what brands are best, let him make the decisions. Therefore, give him a gift certificate from someplace like Woodcraft which carrys most of the best brands. You might go and spend $ 500 on a table saw when he might like to explore wood carving, pen making, or other things. Woodcraft does not have stores all over the place, none of the catalog houses do, but you can give him a catalog and a gift certificate and let him go with it.
There are quite a few catalog houses in this country, investigate them all. Since he might be having to pay shipping on what he buys, it might be best to find a catalog house closer to his home.
It is a problem that I run into every Christmas when people give me books. They give me books that they are interested in without even asking what I might be interested in. I read all the time except when I am making furniture, repairing it, or tearing apart antiques that need tlc to make them good again. My family at least knows to let me make the decisions on my tools. The person who inherits my shop will fall into a gold mine. I wish they would learn that about books.