Favorite Tools Round 2 - The Next 10 to Add to Your Collection

Hello! I often times get asked about my favorite tools, what to start with, how I got started, etc. So, last year I wrote a post on my top ten favorite tools, which you can check out here. I decided to go ahead and write a follow-up post on my next ten favorites because tools are cool. These are kind of in order of the order you might think about getting them, but they all do such different things that it’s hard to say sometimes. So, here we go.

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1. Sawhorses

Good old sawhorses. They can really come in handy, especially if you don’t have a cool workbench like me. They are great for holding plywood and other material. These are the ones I have, my old neighbor in Virginia gave them to me, or maybe he left them in my garage and I should send them back. I honestly can’t remember. Anyway, there are lots of great options for sawhorses so I might be purchasing a better set soon, but these have been with me and served me well for a long time.

2. Belt Sander

In my last post, I wrote about my favorite sander, but this one is my second favorite. I actually love a good sander, and belt sanders are great for bigger, rougher work. If you really need to get into it, a belt sander is fairly inexpensive and works great.

3. Drill Bit Set

Also, in my last post, I said you’ll need a good general tool set. In addition to that, it’s also nice to have a good drill bit set. This line from Boash is really nice and comes in a few different sizes. Any brand will probably work fine, though.

I also use countersink drill bits all the time, so a good set of those is great to have. These allow you to sink the screws into the wood so that they are a little more hidden and at least flush.

4. Wet-Dry Vac

Once you acquire all these cools tools, you’ll need something to clean your shop out with. Shop-Vac’s are great for the shop, but we’ve also used our for cleaning the car, cleaning up a burst pipe mess and plenty of other projects, so you’ll get your use out of this baby for sure.

5. Leaf Blower

Okay, so this isn’t technically a shop tool, but I use it all the time to clean sawdust, leaves and dirt out of the garage. So, I am including it because this is a much cheaper option until you can afford a fancy sawdust collection system.

6. Jig Saw

A good jigsaw will help you make smaller, more precise cuts and get into areas you can’t get into with other saws. My first one was one I got at a yard sale for $3, but last year RYOBI gave me this one and it’s way better, haha. I love it especially because it is cordless. It works with the ONE+ system and I like not having to worry about cutting the cord.

7. Brad Nailer

A brad nailer is a huge help when you are doing home improvement projects, especially if you are going to do any sort of molding or baseboard work. This one I got from my neighbor as well, she sold it to me for cheap before she moved.

Most Brad Nailer will need an air compressor with them, which can be a pain, but still worth it.

I like mine, especially for the price, but I wanted to let you know that I have heard rave reviews for this one from my blogging buddies. I’ve seen them use it for all kinds of stuff, including furniture building, and they all seem to like it. The cordless option seems really nice, and no air compressor!

8. Reciprocating Saw

A reciprocating saw is great for all kind of things. It is really helpful if you need to make cuts in something that is already in place, like studs in the wall. We bought this when we took a wall down in our last house and it was so helpful. We also used it to take out the back deck. I’m not sure we would have gotten through those projects without this baby.

9. Kreg Rip-Cut

This I bought awhile back, and for about $25 it is WELL worth the money. This thing hooks up to your circular saw (mentioned in my first post) and allows you to make super straight cuts in plywood and other big pieces. This is great also to buy until you can get a table saw, but honestly, I still use it for huge pieces all the time. It’s easier than trying to run a full piece of plywood through the table saw.

10. Table Saw

I know I’ve mentioned a ton of different saws. It seems silly, but they all do different things. I have been wanting a table saw FOREVER. RYOBI was kind enough to send me this one after learning that I had been using my neighbors for over six months. As it turns out, I have awesome neighbors and have been very fortunate in that arena. I did use hers all the time and know I’ll get plenty of use out of this. Table saws are great for making longer cuts in pieces.

Be sure to check out my top ten favorites HERE.

Okay, so what do you think? Do you agree with my two lists of favorite tools? What are some of your favorite tools? Let me know if you have any further questions about any of these. I know it can be overwhelming trying to figure out what you need.

Thanks for stopping by!

April