favorite portable tools

I just came in from my shop where I had occasion to use two of my favorites.

One was a Porter Cable 1/2 sheet sander, the other a Porter Cable bayonet saw. Both have not been made for years, both have heavy aluminum castings; IOW, they were made when PC made excellent tools.

The bayonet saw is basically a saber saw that doesn't tilt and which has blades which hook around a set screw. I like the it because it has a sizeable platen; about 4x5" and 1/8" thick. Steel. I've never understood why they make saber saws with a match box size platen. I don't miss the tilt, don't recall ever usinig it on a saber saw. I use mine for all manner of things including cutting 4x8' sheets of ply wood into manageable pieces.

The sander is wonderful as a finish sander. It has a 1/2"+- thick felt pad and just the weight of the saw - and time - gets stuff flat and smooth. Yes, I have a ROS - and use it - but prefer this one most of the time.

Do you have favorites?

Reply to
dadiOH
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I have several, a Makita trim router that is a little jewel, I use on almost every face frame. And then there are the 6 "F" word ones. ;~)

Reply to
Leon

"dadiOH" wrote in news:ni2b42$h0u$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:

I use the angle-cutting feature on my Jigsaw from time to time... Thing is I usually have the tilt set to 90 degrees! Don't push that blade so hard, Puckdropper!

Puckdropper

Reply to
Puckdropper

My favorite tailed tool is whichever of the many P-C tools I have that is appropriate for the task at hand...

My favorite meat powered tool... same deal and it likely is of L-N persuasion.

Reply to
John Grossbohlin

Mine is a low angle block plane. Since you didn't specify only power :-).

Reply to
Larry Blanchard

It's almost non-portable...an old German Bosch belt sander. I also have an old Craftsman dual-action half-sheet sander (it never gets hot!)

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(Sorry, I hid the clutter!)

Reply to
Bob Villa

I have a Porter Cable Sawzall, all metal except for the motor, it twists every which way and I can use jigsaw blades in it too. It has got me out of some really tight situations. Then my Radial Arm Saw, only 10" Non-electronic. Various hand block sanders Planes, I can't explain it, but like good sharp chisels, there is just something about working with them. and draw planes. And my old arm breaker a 1/2 inch, forget what brand, but everyone raves about it, that is until a bit takes a very hard bite and then the drill motor throws you around like a rag day, that is if it doesn't tear off your arm first.

Reply to
OFWW

I'm fond of this garage sale steal!

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Reply to
Bob Villa

Sounds like the old shopmate? that did in my Dad's finger. It pretty well took him off the ladder several times too. I inherited it from him and finally took out the reduction gears and scrapped it. Dad bought it in 1966 when he started in business and I scrapped it about

5 years ago, It was one NASTY drill-motor!!!
Reply to
clare

Favorite portable tools?

Its gotta be a drill motor. Corded or cordless. They have probably made me more money as a contractor than anything besides a screwdriver, and the cordless drill often doubles as a screw driver. Once or twice the corded in a pinch.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

[snip]
+1 on the PC half sheet. Perfect balance and can be as aggressive or as gentle as you like. Minimal vibration transmitted to the user and if you want you can let it glide by itself steering with the cord's strain relief.

Hard to pick a favorite from my stable though. If push came to shove, I'd probably give the vote to my Bosch 12v VS Multi-tool. One of those tools I had looked at and taken a pass on several times before saying, "What the hell, what can it hurt?" (as is the case with oh so many of my acquisitions ;))

Simply love that tool and it finds itself called into service on most any project that I tackle. It goes and get into just about anywhere. I should probably call it my power fingernail!

Reply to
Unquestionably Confused

Naw, it is a portable one with a pipe handle, and trigger handle and a carrying handle, used when your can't fit a piece of pipe because of space. I vaguely recall using a lengthy pipe on it so my whole body could keep it from spinning, the material was so tough, but then it started catching and binding and loosening and beat by guts to death, it is a mistake to lock the trigger on more often than naught.

It is geared down and heavy.

I was going threw some stuff a couple weeks ago, found a lot of tools that were set aside, all metal ones, because they need cords replaced. Hate to have a yard sale or some such thing as people would consider them next to trash because of a frayed cord. I even found a very small skill saw, I don't know if they even make blades that small anymore.

Reply to
OFWW

That looks good.

Reply to
OFWW

My favorite is probably the Ryobi cordless drill/driver. It has the widest range of clutch settings of any cordless drill I've tried. I use it on small screws for very small hinges to the screws that mount the blades on ceiling fans to the 3 iinch deck screws that hold together the 2x4 frame of pressure treated wood that supports the raised bed where I grow tomatoes.

The original Ni-based batteries had pathetically short run time but the newer lithium batteries are very good.

Reply to
ads

Probably, #1, for me, is the cordless drill.

#2, these days, is a lawn chair. I don't rush things, anymore, and I take lots of breaks. *The radio, 'most always within ear shot, isn't portable.

Sonny

Reply to
Sonny

...snip...

It depends on what you define as a "tool".

Harbor Freight Anti-Fatigue Foam Mat Set 4 Pc

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I use them not just for kneeling (old knees) but for so many other uses.

Padding when loading the trailer and van (the girls keep moving from college apartment to college apartment). They protect not only the contents of the van, but the interior of the van itself.

Anti-slip/protection mats when sanding.

I've got a piece attached to the top of my cooler so my dog can stand on it and look out the van window (much less sliding off and hitting the floor)

The list goes on. They cut really easy on the band saw so I can make any shape or size I need.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

My Makita LI drill/driver set. The weight is right, the power is great and I rarely run out of juice.

Reply to
Gramps' shop

So was trhe shop-mate.

Again, same as the shopmate

450 or 500 RPM.

I've gotten some top quality tools for next to nothing for simple problems like frayed cords.

Reply to
clare

Nice! This is becoming an interesting thread when we begin talking about new uses for old tools, etc. Before I had my Multi-tool, I needed to undercut some door jambs to install flooring. Looking for an easy way out without renting or buying a new tool, I spied my PC 577 Biscuit Joiner sitting there. . .

I lowered the blade and made sure it was at 90 degrees and went at it. five jambs undercut in less than 5 minutes and the finish cut was perfect.

Now, how about some more alternative uses for tools most of us have sitting around and may not be using to their fullest capability?

Reply to
Unquestionably Confused

Dyslexia! My PC 557 though I suppose if they DID have a 577 model it would be even more powerful (and expensive)!

Reply to
Unquestionably Confused

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