# best tool purchase you've ever made



## carp.780 (Jan 2, 2010)

As the title says whats the best purchase you've made? was it a great deal, new product line? list the good and bad (if at all). 

I'm young and have just started building a collection of tools, i research almost every item i buy (within reason of course) and all your input would help anyone reading this thread, myself included.

My best purchase would be my 18v dewalt drill that was marked down $100.00 last boxing day.I've got my eye set on a bosch bulldog and am waiting for the price to be right.

*i did a basic search for threads similar to this and didn't find anything, sorry if this has been done already.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

One word: Festool.

Everything else is normally dissapointing.


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## Trim40 (Jan 27, 2009)

My Steel City tablesaw w/52" fence, 3hp 220v.


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## XanadooLTD (Oct 6, 2007)

ANything Hilti for me. I once got a PR26 for the proce of a 25 because it needed to come off a truck though. That was a great deal. Also the new TE 1500. Cant beat the rep.


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## charimon (Nov 24, 2008)

Wow, Great question.
The SINGLE best tool purchase.
I would have to say my trailer. It changed how I do things more than anything else.

The BEST PURCHASE
Hilti 805 for $140

BEST TOOL purchased
Sigma R2D 26" tile cutter It is that much better than the competition. Even better than my FESTOOLS
Craig


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## Renegade 1 LI (Oct 2, 2008)

Boy this is a tough one! Sooo many tools, sooo many stories! I would say my favorite best deal was getting a brand new 3hp Powermatic 66 cabinet saw for 1200$ delivered back around 94-95. American made & dead accurate right out of the box. The table had such a nice polish to it you could use it for a mirror.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

If you class a trailer as a tool then it has to be that for me. Has made life so much easier to store stuff and find stuff.


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## loneframer (Feb 13, 2009)

Anything that installs a fastener without a hammer.:clap:


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## Five Star (Jan 15, 2009)

Most recent for me is the festool c12 drill, its 4 drills in one and has more power than most my 18v lithion,light and compact, first drill i reach for when on installs:thumbsup: 

and a few months back the makita LS1016 mitersaw still lovinging it every time i sqeeze the trigger:thumbsup:

BEST BUY UNDER $50
OHH and cant rule out the stud4sure stud finder, i use 4 of them ,hang them from a wall to nail off base and crown and just keep moving them down the run im nailing,so much faster than eletronic!!


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

That C-12 is a nice little drill huh? Goobs of power for a 12v nicad.


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## B_E_Const. (Dec 2, 2007)

I am with you guys on the Trailer. I love my 14' enclosed. Not really a tool, more of a Tool Box. Good organization makes working a lot more fun!


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## Cole82 (Nov 22, 2008)

Yep enclosed trailer here as well.

Skil worm drive changed how I looked at hand held saws. Thought they were always akward and under powered until I used the worm.

Quickbooks saved me so much time and questioning how to keep track of stuff.

Cole


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## Rustbucket (May 22, 2009)

A good tape measure:thumbup: I wouldn't be much good without one!

I all seriousness, I will agree with Warner on this one. I started out with a Festool TS55, which I ran with an older Fein for some time. Then got the CT22 and a Rotex and their smaller RO sander. Working virtually dust free is such a blessing. Wonder why I didn't do it earlier. A lot less headaches without the dust floating around. Literally and figuratively.


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## Burns-Built (May 8, 2009)

Although Lone is right when you have to hit that nail, i chose Stiletto!.. Anything made by Stiletto is amazing. You can't beat light weight. :clap:


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## Anderson (Sep 7, 2009)

I love the Wera kompac. I keep it on my belt and when ever like about 10 times a day I need a screw driver it is right there I have had it about 6 weeks must have saved me a whole day of running around looking for my screw drivers.


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## mattsk8 (Dec 6, 2009)

I'd have to say my favorite tool is my makita miter saw. I tried to convince myself for the first couple years I didn't need one because I didn't want to store it, pay for it, or carry it. But of all my tools, this is probably my favorite :thumbup:. It does suck to transport because it's heavy and has a big elaborate stand but don't know how I functioned w/out it.
I would also have to include a Skill skillsaw. I got it for christmas one year and figured it was junk so I'd just use it for demo. That poor saw's been to hell and back and still kicking!!

Best deal would be the Fluke voltmeter my neighbor gave me. It's a 87 III true rms!!! and it was freeeee. I could have kissed him. He's an electrician and an all around good neighbor :thumbsup:.

Worst tools would include Dremel for sure, a Dewalt sawzall, and Milwaukee 18v cordless kit- the batterys are garbage!! I do like my Rigid cordless kit (although l/i batterys don't charge well when they're cold) and pretty much no complaints about any of my Rigid tools.


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## galla35 (Feb 27, 2009)

loneframer said:


> Anything that installs a fastener without a hammer.:clap:




id have to say a palm nailer :thumbup:


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

primatec air floor nailer has probably increased my production more than any tool I've bought. Wasn't cheap, but it paid for itself within the first 3 jobs. Now I can place the flooring & my wife can nail it. Went from 300'/day to 600+ with just the 2 of us. Not to mention, I no longer have tennis elbow from driving 2" cleats in one whack with a 5 pound club.


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## XanadooLTD (Oct 6, 2007)

charimon said:


> Wow, Great question.
> The SINGLE best tool purchase.
> I would have to say my trailer. It changed how I do things more than anything else.
> 
> ...


 
Hilti 805 for 140 takes the cake. Best purchase ever. Way to go.


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

My primatech pneumatic floor nailer would have to be the tool that increased production the most for us. Now, my wife can nail off the floors while I place the boards. Went from 300'/day to 600 plus with just the 2 of us. Paid for itself within the first 2 jobs. Not I have 2 nailers for big jobs. No longer have tennis elbow either from driving 2' cleats with a single blow with a 5# club:thumbup:


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## john5mt (Jan 21, 2007)

my set of oxy's 
first set of bags i could wear all day comfortably

Tool trailer defintley up there too. 

10" Hitachi Slider with the laser

TS-55....always finding uses for it. 

Oh and my Bowtech Air Raid...Shoots sweet :thumbup:


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## tlkropf86 (Jan 23, 2010)

A toss up between my Occidental 7 bag Framers or my Stiletto hammer.


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## gallerytungsten (Jul 5, 2007)

A few picks:

Japanese hand saws
Fein Multimaster
Bosch 1590 jigsaw
#7 hand plane


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## Metro M & L (Jun 3, 2009)

Ladder levelers and ladder stabilizer. Much more solid.


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## Ten Fingers (Nov 5, 2006)

My utility knife is nearly the most important tool that I usually keep in my pants.


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## maninthesea (Nov 11, 2008)

> Quote:
> cordless angle grinder
> What do you use it for? I looked at them and thought it was a neat idea but anytime I ever use mine it requires alot of runtime.


I think it may have been the favorite tool of the midnight shopper that cut thru my security door last year!


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## RussellF (Aug 22, 2006)

I have to agree with all the trailer comments...........that is the single thing that has had the most impact on purchases that I have made. I love my 6'x12' v-nose....awsome. "It's in the trailer!".........


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## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

Kreg Jig


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## Old Grumpy (Mar 11, 2009)

Without doubt mine would be the first good hammer I bought. I had tried plumb, estwing,vaughn,craftsman, and any number of off brands. 20 years ago this spring I bought a Hart 21 oz. framer. It has turned out to be my "go to" hammer for 2 decades. I still have a milk crate of bad hammers and a sack of "special" ones but it is the one that lives on the belt. Still the original handle ( taped and shaved but still the original).


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## RMcBride (Dec 21, 2009)

Best tools I've ever bought?

1. Ridgid worm drive saw ($90) - changed my life.
2. Dalluge titanium framing hammer ($80) - to show those stilettos who is boss.
3. Dewalt Emglo compressor - the roll around one - for $125 from a tool repair place.
4. Gutster bar - looks like an infomercial... but the best demo tool I've ever used - cuts time by 75% at least when we're tearing off walls or removing a floor.
5. Those new flexy air hoses.


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## Brandito (Feb 26, 2009)

most recently it was a makita 18v hammer drill, impact driver combo, price wasn't that impressive until i saw they had a few specially marked combos with a 3rd battery for the same price.

the impact is such an amazing little tool, can run all day without a battery change and takes all the effort out of driving screws and even lag bots.

the tools i've gotten most use out of that i will never do without are my occidental pro framers and my stiletto. nothing like a good set of leather pouches and my stiletto certainly beats swinging a 22oz club all day.

also recently picked up a dw745 to replace my ridged cast iron beast of a table saw. never hardly got to use the ridgid because it was just too big to move around in the garage and certainly would never go with me anywhere, but the dewalt i've already put to great use


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## TBFGhost (Oct 9, 2008)

I hung some trim the other day for some GC that saw me out at lunch....he noticed I had an impact (used it to fasten crown jig to saw fence) and he started asking me about it. I can't believe there are still people out there that don't have an impact driver.... That is totally insane.


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## frankster (Apr 8, 2010)

Thats a doozy of a question. I have alot of fun tools. I think my best all around purchase was the Fein Multimaster. I just did a complete kitchen remodel with a worm drive saw and a multimaster. Lots of blade choices for that little devil.


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## frankster (Apr 8, 2010)

TBFGhost said:


> I hung some trim the other day for some GC that saw me out at lunch....he noticed I had an impact (used it to fasten crown jig to saw fence) and he started asking me about it. I can't believe there are still people out there that don't have an impact driver.... That is totally insane.


 
impact drivers are the bomb. Even a drill like the DeWalt 18v with hammer drive works great. Just added a Bosch impact to my collection. Will be buying more of those.


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## vandiesel99 (Oct 5, 2004)

PAM Drive automatic screw gun. I bought one with an extension on it so you can screw with out bending over. Bought it specifically for metal roofing because we screw our furring strips to the roof. It auto loads so I'd say we probably save 75% time on screwing furring down.


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## smeagol (May 13, 2008)

theleatherman crunch the fein multimaster and the stihl ms361


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## lthelec (Feb 27, 2010)

*Best Tools*

My 10.8v Concept Durofix impact driver, Snickers flexi belt system, Makita 24v SDS battery drill even though one of the batteries died very early.


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## the big 12 inch (Jan 22, 2009)

My fein supercut(multimasters big brother) Other than the blades costing $25 a pop, definitely a real time saver in my trade...My 95 chevy van that has been paid off for 10 years was a pretty good buy as well...


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## FrehouseRemdlin (Dec 23, 2008)

Hard to say just one but these are the most used:

Cordless impact
ladder levelers 
Festool TS55 and CT mini
and the most used has to be my utility knife.


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## Kevin M. (Feb 28, 2010)

This nail set rocks!! Seriously, it's the real deal.


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