Routers and Hand Drills - Most Important Woodworking Power Tools - Business

For the woodworking beginner, there are two essential power tools that can make most projects possible. These are a good hand drill and a good router. More than any other two tools, a drill and router are the foundation of a woodworker's tool arsenal because of their versatility.

The Hand DrillA drill is designed to (obviously) drill into things. A good, reliable hand drill can be used for drilling holes for screws, making decorative holes, and it can even replace biscuit joinery when necessary.

With a drill you can create dowel joinery, which is less sophisticated but certainly just as effective and definitely less expensive.

When it comes to choosing a good hand drill, there are two basic choices to start with - cordless or plug-in. The kind with a plug-in cord is beneficial because you never have to wait for the battery to recharge or deal with weak drilling capabilities when the battery is low.

However, cordless drill are obviously more portable and most come with two battery packs. That way as long as you keep one plugged in at all times, you will not have to do much waiting.

So if you decide on the very popular cordless model, you then have several other choices to make. First, you need to consider the battery power. You can find drills with voltage from 9.6 volts to 24 volts. The higher the voltage the more power and torque you will get as well as longer battery life after each charge.

The disadvantage of higher voltage though, is that the drills are quite heavy and can make it more difficult to use for long periods of time. How the drill feels in your hands may be one of the most important factors in your decision. Regardless of voltage a good hand drill should have a dual speed motor, a reverse motor function, and an adjustable clutch.

The RouterA good router is the other important tool because it can perform so many different functions. For instance, with some practice, a router can help you create decorative edges, make cross-cuts, and cut mortises and create grooves. If you mount the router in a table, your options expand to include making moldings, edge joints, frames, box joints, and even panel doors. The professional quality of a good router will make it well worth the purchase.

There are a few key elements to consider when choosing a good router. First, the power of the motor is important. A 2-horsepower motor will handle most jobs, but a more powerful one will be need for bulk professional work. Another nice feature to have is a plunge feature. This provides versatility within very detailed work. You should also look for a collet-locking button. This will make it possible to adjust the collet with just one wrench rather than several.

So, as you start to create your perfect workshop, the best place to start is with a quality hand drill and router. Once you have those in place and have fully mastered their functions, you will be able to move on to other tools with ease and with expertise.

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