A List of 8 Must-Have Power Tools For Your Power Tool Kit

Having the ability to resolve various issues around the house, or even starting a DIY project from scratch, gives any homeowner a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment like nothing else. When you don’t have to rely on anything but your ingenuity, it gives you a freeing feeling.  Your understanding as a homeowner grows as well.

But, to do all that, you need to have a basic understanding of power tools. You need to know which of the power tools are essential for your power tool kit, and what functions you can accomplish with each one.

In this article, we’re going to discuss the essential tools for every homeowner, and what these tools can accomplish. So, without further ado, let’s begin!

1. Drills

Drill and Driver are an essential power tool in any homeowner’s possession. Primarily, this tool comes handy in creating holes or driving fasteners. 

There are plenty of different drills that come with numerous features, but basically, the device has a bit, either a drill or a driver, which is secured by a chuck. Various drills such as Hammer drills, Rotary Hammer Drills, Drill Press, and so on, are available for users to choose from, depending on the tasks. The device can feature a single speed, have two or three preset speeds, or can also have a variable speed function. These come in corded as well as cordless types. 

The device can perform various tasks, and here are some of the popular applications of it.

• Users who do Woodwork find drills very useful in their projects.
• Metalworking is also possible with the device. 
• Any construction project has plenty of applications for the device. 
• Some have applications for specific industries, such as medicine, space, and so on. 
• A smaller drill/ driver is useful in fastening screws. 

Having a drill is a good idea for any homeowner, and you can accomplish so much with it. But, not having it can cause a stall in many of your projects.

You can check out the list of Best Products in this category

• Rotary Hammer Drills For Concrete
• Cordless Rotary Hammer Drills with Dust Extraction
• Corded Hammer Drills

2. Circular Saw

A circular saw is a Power saw that uses a toothed disc or blade to cut through a variety of materials. It does so using a rotary motion much as a hole saw, or ring saw, but it is not the same as devices. 

A circular saw is ideal for cutting through a variety of materials such as wood, masonry, plastic, or metal. Users can hold it in hand or can mount it to a machine. 

For different materials, the discs come in different sizes and types. For example, in woodworking, the blades can be designed for making rip cuts, cross cuts, or a combination of both. Most of the saws are electric, but some models may also use a gasoline engine or a hydraulic motor. 

Here are various components of a circular saw.

• Handle and a powerful trigger that helps in operating and holding the device. 
• Front Grip is a secondary handle that helps in handling and guiding the device properly. 
• Shoe – It’s the foot of the saw. It rests on top of the material that the user is trying to cut. 
• Bevel Adjustment Knob – This knob comes in handy while adjusting the angle between the shoe and the saw blade. 
• Depth Lock Knob – It is useful when setting the depth of the disc (Blade). 
• Trigger-Lock switch – The trigger lock switch ensures that the machine does not start, even when you pull the trigger. 

These are some of the components using which the circular saw works.

3. Miter saw

Also known as a chop saw, is a useful power tool you can consider for your ultimate tool kit. You can use it in making crosscuts and miters in a workpiece with precision. It does so by pulling a large mounted circular saw blade down onto a board in a quick motion. 

There are quite a few types of Miter Saw such as Standard Miter saw, Compound Miter saw, Dual Compound Miter saw, Sliding compound miter saw, and so on. 

The miter saw can accomplish a lot of things. Here are some of its applications. 

• You can use a Miter saw for regular crosscuts. There aren’t a lot of other great options for this task, other than maybe, a table saw, or a radial arm saw. 
• It is ideal for angled cuts, also called miter cuts. The device is turned to one side or the other (left or right) to make a suitable angle. A lot of your woodworking or similar projects may involve making angled cuts, and you can use the device for that. 
• You can also use the saw for bevel and compound angle cuts if ever the need arises.
• The saw is also useful for a variety of DIY projects as well as for trim work. 

With so many applications, this device is worth your consideration.

4. Nail Gun

Nail Gun is another common but highly useful power tool you might have seen before. It is a power tool used for driving nails into the wood, or other similar material. Homeowners can use this instead of a traditional hammer, as it is faster and more precise. 

There are different working mechanisms behind different types of nail guns. Some of these work with compressed air (pneumatic) and others make use of electromagnetism, highly flammable gases such as butane or propane, or, for powder-actuated tools, a small explosive charge.

There are different types of nail guns, which are useful for varying tasks. These types include the Pneumatic Nail gun, Powder-actuated Nail gun, Combustion powered Nail gun, Electric Nail gun, Solenoid-powered Nail gun, Pin Nailer, and so on.

Here’s how you can use a Nail Gun. 

• Firstly, you have to remove the battery, and then release the magazine with the magazine release button. 
• Load the chamber with nails, and adjust the air pressure dial (Based on the material). Adjust the depth. 
• Place the gun at a right angle (90 degrees) to the material surface, and press down, so the safety tip retracts. Now, squeeze the trigger.

The specifications of the task will determine which is the right type of nail gun for you.

5. Angle Grinder

Angle Grinder is a powerful tool that you can use for grinding (abrasive cutting), and polishing. Although initially, the Angle grinders were compatible with rigid abrasive discs, presently, they can be used along with a wide variety of cutters and attachments. 

There are a lot of different ways to power the device. Based on the model, it can have, and electric motor, petrol engine, or compressed air. Some of the models (depending on the speed range), also work as a sander. They use a sanding disc, with a backing pad or disc. 

The way it works is the motor drives a geared head at a right-angle, and an abrasive disc or a thinner cut-off disc is mounted. You can replace these once they’re beyond usable. 

Usually, for ergonomic reasons, it comes with an adjustable guard and a side-handle for two-handed operation. Depending on the amount of flexibility needed for the projects, the backing system can be composed of hard plastic, phenolic resin, or medium-hard rubber.

Here are the uses of an Angle Grinder. 

• You can use an angle grinder to remove excess material from a workpiece. 
• The device is useful in metalworking and construction. 
• It has applications in emergency rescue situations as well. 

Depending on your needs, you can select the right Angle grinder for yourself based on the power source, motor strength, disc size, arbor size, rpm, and so on.

6. Spray Gun

A Paint sprayer/ Spray Gun is a powerful tool that comes handy in painting surfaces quicker, and with less effort. It has other applications as well other than painting your walls, such as applying stains and wood sealers. 

There are different types of paint sprayers available in the market, and based on your needs, you can choose the right one for yourself. Here are your options.

HVLP Spray Gun

HVLP or High volume low-pressure spray guns are probably the most popular and have been in the market the longest. HVLP Spray guns use very little pressure and can produce high volume output. 

If you’re a beginner and are not familiar with the spray guns, this is an ideal option for you. These are ergonomic, as well as easy to operate. However, these do require bigger compressors and are generally slower than the LVLP spray guns. These also have a hard time with thicker paint and are ideal with high-quality paint colors.

LVLP Spray Gun 

The LVLP or low- volume low-pressure spray guns require less pressure than the HVLP type, and can work with almost any of the air compressors. The material transfer efficiency of these models is superb, and they waste little to no material, unlike HVLP, that can be slightly wasteful. 

These spray guns work best with thinned paints and also are usable with waterborne paints. 

However, they are not compatible with high viscosity materials and have a smaller spray pattern than HVLP spray guns. 

Based on your needs, you can choose the right type for yourself.

7. Impact wrench

An Impact wrench also called an Impact gun, Impactor, Rattle gun, Torque gun, etc., is a socket wrench power tool. The device works by storing energy in a rotating mass, which later transfers to the output shaft. The device can have an electric or hydraulic power source, but the most common is compressed air. Users can find both corded, as well as cordless models in the market. 

The impact wrench has applications for the automotive industry. It is useful for assemblies of automobiles, heavy equipment assembly, and maintenance. These are also useful in massive construction projects.

How does it work? 

The impact wrench gets power by an electric motor or compressed air. Firstly, the energy goes into driving the rotor, and the rotor then drives the hammer and the hammer cage. In case there’s no resistance, the motor power transfers to the anvil. But, in case there’s resistance, the hammer slips from the engaging pin. That results in higher velocity and higher energy production. On rotation, the energy from the hammer transfers to the anvil and produces a very high twisting force on the output shaft. The process continues and provides efficient cyclic impacts, making impact wrench a powerful tool. 

It is also a tool worth having in your possession.

8. Shop Vacuums

Shop Vacuum, also called wet/dry vacuum, often used in workplaces where woodworking and construction are going on. These are also known as bucket vacuum, as these look like big buckets with a hose. These are more powerful than typical vacuums and can be used to clear up dirt, debris, and chunks of materials you are working on at any moment. 

The device features a big and sturdy hose, and when you have a lot of mess to clean, this is the ideal choice for you. 

Here are a few ways this device is useful. 

• If you’re involved in woodworking and need to clean up the aftermath of a long project, this can be a fast way to do that. 
• Also useful in construction sites, this efficiently cleans up nails, screws, other smaller pieces, chunks of material dust, and other similar things. 
• Some models can clean up any wet spot, and spills, efficiently and are useful in case of leaks or other water damage. 

These are tougher, more powerful, and consequently more costly than your average home vacuum. Shop vacuums are built for heavy-duty applications and are a perfect addition to your workshop, whether in your garage or a more professional setting.

Conclusion 

Having essential power tools at your disposal keeps you prepared for any occasion. It is up to you to evaluate the needs of your house and see which of the power tools make sense in your tool kit. There are plenty of options available in the market for any power tool you might require. 

You can start with the list above, to determine what your tool shed is going to look like, and slowly you start collecting.