Outdoor Workbench part 3, Tools Needed

The first tool I show on the bottom right, is an open ended wrench.  the closed end can be ratcheting, but a good open end wrench will last a very long time.  A small set of the basic wrenches can be gotten for about $20, and is a must have tool set.  Probably an SAE and a Metric Set would be good if you plan to be handy in life.

The second thing I show on the bottom right, is a socket wrench with a deep wall impact socket on it.  A good socket wrench, should not have plastic parts.  The ones with plastic tend to stay filthy, and give up early.   The plastic cannot handle the odd oils and solvents that a wrench will often face.   A release button at the top is is a must.   A decent one can be had for around $20.

On the socket wrench is a deep wall, impact socket.  Impact means it can take impact.  Sometimes things get stuck.  Nice to have.  Deep wall means it can handle fairly long bolts.  Also a must have over time.  A set of these can run another $20, and having an SAE and Metric set is also a good idea.

So far, to make this table I have suggested you have sixty dollars worth of tools, and said you should probably have a hundred dollars worth.   So far, I have only described two of the tools on the table.  All told, three hundred dollars will cover all the tools needed here.

The next tool is one of my favorites, the Japanese Socket Awl!  It is easy and fast to use and allows for great precision.  You can get it for under ten dollars.

The nice long clamps are from Harbor Freight and are about ten dollars each unless a sale is going on.  If you plan to do much woodworking, then clamps are a must.  So many clamps.

I am showing a forty inch  Stainless Steel Rule a ten dollar or less tape measure will do fine.  Test the end pushed and pulled, for accuracy.  If it isn’t accurate, then start measuring at one inch and remember to subtract an inch every time you do.  “This is called burning an inch.”

A Brace is for serious drilling,  Power tools are inferior or even dangerous when force is needed.  A used one that will blow away anything you can get for three times the price can usually be gotten from Walt at Brass City Records.  Click on the tools for sale, and tell him that Cedarslayer sent you.

The double edged saw is called a royoba.  One side is for cutting with the grain, the other is for cutting across the grain.  I love the  Razorsaw 650 an amazing saw for about thirty-five dollars.  Japan Woodworker Carries it.

The Long Drill Bit can be had in a set for about thirteen dollars from Harbor Freight.  Long drill bits can drill very deep holes.  They have another profound advantage.  It is much easier to see if you are drilling straight with a long drill bit.  This is a precision hand drill cheat.  I line up my bit using the combination square.  I check it at multiple angles, and then start drilling.  A long bit makes this possible.

A good set of Forstner Drill bits can be a bit pricy.  At the lowest a set may be about fifty bucks.  At the high end, several hundred.   A Forstner can drill, in wood, neat clean, relatively square bottomed holes.  Seriously these are a must have.
I am using a section of a stainless steel ruler as a scraper.  I use it because it works.  A good scraper is a dream for cleaning up wood surfaces.  I just used it on this table to remove splinters.  I am keeping the surface a bit rough for now.  No real reason, this table is going to be a work in progress for a long, long time.  WoodCraft sells a nice set for about fifteen dollars.  You will also need to be able to sharpen it correctly.  There are a lot of way to do it.  Here is my way.
Scraper—It looks like a rule, but I use it as a scraper.  $15 for a set

As far as the vise goes, I didn’t use it on this project.

Big Orange Speed Square—One of the best and cheapest must have tools out there.  Any good hardware store will have one for under ten dollars.

The drill is a Ryobi Lithium 18v one plus.  I do love this power tool.   It comes in a set, and it does the job.  About a hundred dollars for the set, get it around Christmas time for the best deals.  The brace will do the job quite well, so this is not a needed tool.  This speeds me up a bit except when the hole takes a bit more torque to drill.  Then the brace is needed.

Bob