What tools should I buy?

[pat123]

I got some money and gift cards for christmas and I have nearly no tools to make spudguns. just a drill and thats about it. I was hoping that someone could give me a list of teh top 5 best tools for spudding and what tools I should buy.

thanks
Pat

[jrrdw]

1) Hacksaw
2) Square
3) File set
4) Vise
5) Air Compressor

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

I get by with a drill, vice and hacksaw. If I had the money to spare, I'd get a small lathe, drill press, bandsaw and bench grinder.

edit: I took the air compressor for granted (as with hammer, screwdrivers etc.), and I agree that a good file set is very useful, particularly for small components.

[pat123]

yeah i have a compressor and hacksaw. I am thinking about getting a workbench.

[Bubba05]

WOW your guys are flash with what you use to make your cannons?
I get by with my car tools and a hammer drill?
I know i suck and my cannons are simple!

Bubba

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Basically, hacksaw for cutting up bits of pipe etc.

Vice to hold everything in place

Files/sandpaper to smooth things out, as well as roughing things up for good bonding

Drill for making holes as well as used as an improvised lathe when clamped in the vice

Craft knife to cut out sheet materials

The rest is epoxy casting This saves on a lot of heavy duty tools, because you can afford to use low strength and easy to work with materials to make a mold, then use it to cast a high strength epoxy component.

[pat123]

I really need a vice too because i just hold what ever i am sawing and that usually leads to cutting my hand.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Definitely, a good vice on a solid bench makes an incredible difference to your work, it's like having an extra robot hand plus as I mentioned, you can use it to clamp a drill in place and use it as an improvised lathe.

[homedepotpro]

a dremel tool, if you every get into smaller parts/components , it is very useful

[BC Pneumatics]

1/8" and 1/4" NPT taps are a great investment.

[gwoloshyn]

1/8" and 1/4" NPT taps are a great investment.

Agreed. Also big pipe taps are good if you build advanced combustions and need to tap holes for propane injection.

[dewey-1]

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[daberno123]

a dremel tool, if you every get into smaller parts/components , it is very useful

agreed, i just got one for christmas and have already thought of like 50 uses for it

[tansit234]

I have a full tap and die set, from #4 to 1/2. A three piece pipe tap set from 1/4 npt to 3/4npt I think it is. 8x12 Harbor Freight lathe, I have to order more tooling in addition to steady and follow rests. I have a one ton Clausing 5904 that needs a 3 phase faker box. One full height Rockwell drill press and 3 other bench drill presses. A Hitachi chop saw, hand saws all over, 14 inch capacity metal bandsaw, Lincoln SP175+ MIG welder setup for steel. An old craftsman table saw that needs to be rebuilt, Ryobi radial arm saw that needs a table to call home, 4 benches, 2 bench grinders, 2 handheld grinders, one tool grinder. A 117 piece drill set with number and letter drills, (2) 3 pack of step drills, 300 pound chinese mill drill, 1/2 to 1 inch twist drill set. Milling cutters coming out of my ears. One tankless air compressor, one 5 gallon compressor that needs the head ground since it leaks at 15 psi. The list keeps going, and I need a 3 car, no 4 car garage now to fit it all, the 2 car one we built is already too small. Plus we're looking for a good 3000 pound milling machine so we need the room.

All I really use is the chop saw, drill presses, lathe, and for vortex blocks the mill. The pipe taps are a must, to hold things together the regular tap set is a dream. For the home shop and not the grease monkey, a good bench, vise, hacksaw, miter box, drill press, pipe taps, and some other average hand tools, oh and of course a compressor, get one on sale from harbor freight or northern tools.

Incedently those step drills need a pilot hole, the points on them suck. Get an 8 pack of 1/8" drills too.

[f.c]

its funny because i have all the tools i could possibly need yet i only use the simplest ones.