Tools I Own, Use, and Love

 

Wixey WR300 Angle Gauge

This is an absolute lifesaver when it comes to setting your table saw blade to 45 degrees, or for figuring out if your drill press table is actually perpendicular to the drill bit. There are many different brands of digital angle gauges out there— but Wixey is the standard, and for good reason. This is one of those little things that you don’t know how you lived without once you have one.

  • PRO: Simple, accurate, reliable

  • CON: Doesn’t support absolute leveling—but the WR365 does, if you need it

Dewalt DWS713 Miter Saw

This is a NO-FRILLS miter saw — and that’s why I love it. It doesn’t slide. It isn’t battery-powered. It doesn’t shoot a laser beam at whatever you’re cutting. But it works and it’s very, very reliable. That’s all I really need out of a miter saw. And at around $200, this one is tough to beat.

  • PRO: Simple and reliable

  • CON: If you’re looking for lots of extra features, they ain’t there

Kreg R3 Pocket Hole Jig

Pocket holes get a lot of flack— but they have their place. Are they as strong as a mortise and tenon joint? Absolutely not. But I’m not going to hand cut a mortise and tenon for every joint I make. Shop projects, cabinetry… the list goes on— when you need joinery that’s strong enough, and fast, this thing is a massive time-saver. At around $30, it’s saved me countless hours of work.

  • PRO: Huge time-saver

  • CON: Slight sacrifice in joint strength

Woodpeckers 1281 Precision Square

If you don’t have one of these, you’re probably doing what I did for a long time— using one of those cheap contractor squares from the hardware store. Those are okay for most projects, but if you’re looking to boost your precision, check out one of these. It feels great to use (it’s solid cast-aluminum), and my favorite thing about it is the lip on the lower part of it that lets it hang hands-free over the edge of a board without falling to the floor.

  • PRO: High-precision; feels strong and substantial

  • CON: Costlier than the contractor grade versions

Bessey WS-1 90-Degree Corner Clamp

How many times during a project do you need to hold two things together at a 90-degree angle? About a hundred, it seems. These are a great way to get that done, and they’re pretty inexpensive, too. I like this particular version because there are no plastic parts, so they’re great for woodworking and metalworking.

  • PRO: All-metal construction

  • CON: Takes a minute to set it up

Rok Hardware Heavy Duty Leg Levelers

Okay, this isn’t exactly a tool, but I love these things so much that I have to recommend them. I used these on my miter saw station, and they worked perfectly. My garage floor is very uneven, but these took care of that problem completely. They have an 8,000 pound capacity (overkill? Yes.) and the hex key makes leveling in-place super easy.

  • PRO: Very strong

  • CON: Pricier than other options (about $25 for a set of 4)