My guide to power tools

Have you heard the saying a bad worker blames his tools? Well, like all proverbs, there is an element of error because sometimes it is the tool's fault. Any decent worker will have decent tools. If you rely on them for your livelihood, you will know it does not make sense to go cheap. This is what led me to look for power tools in Sydney.

After years in the same job and being made redundant, I decided to take up a trade. Friends had told me that if you have a trade and are willing to work, you would never go hungry. I took a carpentry course and spent a day a week with a joiner friend on his job. He taught me a lot about power tools and the need to buy quality brands.

Are all power tools the same?

Up to that point, I had always enjoyed doing DIY around the house, putting up shelves, fixing wardrobes etc. My toolbox was a mismatch of random tools I had bought from the tool store near me and inherited over the years. I had some good power tools and some cheapo ones too.

I knew that there were trusted brands of power tools like Makita, Bosch, Black & Decker and Hitachi. The problem was that they were always more expensive. I usually tried to go the middle ground and buy a budget power tool from a good brand. Over the years, I learned that cheap power tools just don’t cut the mustard. A trail of burnt-out drills was proof of this.

One Christmas, my wife bought me a Bosch jigsaw. I was stunned when I opened the box, but I knew it was a top-of-the-range power tool, so I was pleased. A week later, she started hinting about a breakfast bar she wanted me to make. Ah! The mysterious present had lost its mystery.

I often thought my wife never listened to me when I talked about DIY, but it seemed I was wrong. My last cheap jigsaw had died a while back after two years of little use, and I had not got around to going to the tool store near me. To be honest, I would never have considered the Bosch model my wife bought and would have bought another cheap one.

Ten years on

10 years later, I can honestly say that buying quality tools is definitely the way forward. Since my wife’s present, I’ve only bought quality power tools in Sydney, in the tool store near me. My local store is F&K Power Tools, which has been around since 1973. My dad used to go to them for repairs and said they were the best. They are factory-authorised repairers of brands such as:

• MAKITA
• MILWAUKEE
• PASLODE
• HONDA
• FESTOOL
• HUSQVARNA CONSTRUCTION
• HIKOKI (HITACHI)
• BOSCH
• METABO

They also have an online shop you can visit at https://fktools.com.au/pages/power-tools-online and see what they have. The United Tools Group members can provide the lowest prices on a wide range of power tools. To top all that off, they even offer a pick-up and drop-off service for tool servicing and repair work.

The best brands of power tools

Over the years, I have come to realise that different brands have different strengths. One thing I look for is what contractors use on big construction sites. Observing which power tools the big boys use helped me to know which brands offer durability and longevity. Construction workers are hammering their tools nearly every day, so they need to be reliable.

A couple of brands that stood out to me (note: I’m not an expert or doing any kind of review) were Makita, DeWalt, Bosch, Hilti and Milwaukee. These brands seemed to be the professional’s choice. After looking around in the tools store near me, I also found a few lesser-known brands, for me at least, such as Festool, Ryobi, Paslode and Metabo.

I talked with the experts in the power tools Sydney shop and started to build up my toolbox. I went for a balance between quality and price. As I was just starting my business, I couldn’t afford all the top-of-the-line power tools. However, I knew it was also a false economy to buy cheap stuff. I settled for high-range power tools that I knew would be the mainstay of my work. Things like drills, sanders, planers, polishers and saws. I went for the budget ranges for the other tools that I wouldn’t use so often. I would recommend seeking professional advice when buying power tools in Sydney or anywhere else, for that matter. There are many different tools for different uses, and the experts know how to match the right tool to the kind of job you will be doing.

To be wired or not to be wired?

One of the biggest decisions I had to make when building up my power tool collection was corded or cordless. There were good arguments for both.

Corded power tools offer greater torque than cordless tools. This means that sometimes there is no choice but to buy a corded tool for certain jobs.

Another pro is that corded tools never run out of power (unless you cut through the power cable whilst working!). One of the main cons of a corded power tool is the lack of mobility. They can also be a tripping hazard, especially when working with other people.

Cordless tools are becoming more and more popular. Most come with lithium-ion batteries that last a long time and hold a lot of power. They are lighter, making them easier to use for an extended period. They are easier to use in tight spaces and areas with limited access.

Obviously, the biggest downside to cordless tools is the battery running out. The last thing you need when on an important job is to run out of juice. The performance starts to diminish as the battery drains too.

Many companies now make interchangeable batteries between tools of the same make. This is a great breakthrough because if, for instance, your drill runs out of power, you can quickly use your saw’s battery. Alternatively, you can even carry a spare battery pack with you.

Ultimately, the decision of whether to go corded or cordless depends on the usage and scale of the job you wish to undertake. When in doubt about which power tools in Sydney I need, I always ask the experts in the toll shop near me.

A jack of all trades, but master of none, but often better than a master of one. I enjoy writing articles, Diy projects, and cooking. So come take a look at one of my articles and leave a comment.