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Pens, paper and maybe you can find a few things in your child’s maths set such as a protractor once you get adventurous. Set squares are invaluable and help you stay on track and keep your projects square. The tradesman’s handsaw has been designed to be a set square and a 90 and 45 degree angle are usually moulded into the handle (see photo). Very clever and useful if you can’t find your set square because its either buried in clutter or the kids have had it and its in their room somewhere.
The only power tool I’m recommending at the moment if you’re really on a budget is a drill. A very versatile tool from putting up shelves in walls to drilling dowel holes in your latest creation. A close second but one I haven’t included is the jigsaw, again a very useful tool that opens up your work into more creative and decorative aspects.
When buying tools second hand then it’s very important that you check that its working first, seems obvious but if you’re at a car boot for instance how would you even know? The price has to be right in case all you’re going to be doing is taking it home and then binning it! However a drill for a £1 is worth it though just for the chuck. I recently had to take a working chuck off a broken drill and replace a broken chuck on a working drill. Check blades for wobbles, listen to the motor, does it sound like its chattering? This could be worn or broken bearings, gears may be stripped. Does it smell? Have a good sniff at the air vents around the motor; if it smells of burning plastic or similar then the motor itself could be goosed. Examine the cables for any nicks, cuts and repairs, circular saws and planers are usually the worst culprits for this sort of accident because of the exposed blades. A circuit breaker is a good safety purchase and you can get them that are already moulded into extension leads. Better safe than sorry.
There’s a big trade off involved with tools versus time. You can use a block of wood with sandpaper wrapped round to great effect and that’s going to take time or you can use a belt sander which will take a tenth of the time. A handsaw gives a great cut, a jigsaw cuts that bit quicker, a chop saw cuts even quicker still, you get the idea but of course you pay for that privilege.
It can be very easy to blow money on a dedicated piece of tooling that seldom gets used even though it looks rather cool and seems a bargain. So choose wisely and carefully.
Right, so that’s your homework, gathering up some tools as best as you can because the next time you hear from me were getting straight down to it and making something, thanks for reading this far. This series of articles and projects will have an accompanying video on YouTube so you can actually see how it’s all put together. You can find me on the Facebook group DIY on a budget where I’m more than willing to answer questions and of course take your ideas and suggestions on what you’d like me to cover in future articles!
Crack on!
Bongo
thePoultryPeople
www.youtube.com/thepoultrypeople